Volume 19, Winter 1997

Permanent URI for this collection

https://prism.ucalgary.ca/handle/1880/100050

Browse

Browsing Volume 19, Winter 1997 by Subject "Phonetics"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Calgary Working Papers in Linguistics, Volume 19, Winter 1997
    (University of Calgary, 1997-01) Pasquini, Ana; Rowsell, Lorna V; Smith, Laura Catharine
    The editors of this issue, Ana Pasquini, Loma Rowsell and Laura Catharine Smith, are pleased to present the nineteenth issue of the Calgary Working Papers in Linguistics published by the Department of Linguistics at the University of Calgary. The papers contained in this volume represent works in progress and as such should not be considered in any way final or definitive.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    On the differential substitution of English [θ] A phonetic approach
    (University of Calgary, 1997-01) Teasdale, Allison
    A phonetic approach to the differential substitution of English [θ] successfully predicts that speakers of languages with a dental [s̪], or a slit-type [s], will substitute it for the English fricative, while speakers of languages with a more retracted [s] will not. Data from native speakers of Quebec French, European French, Russian, and Japanese is employed in the study.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    The role of L1 feature geometry in the acquisition of L2 segmental phonology: acquiring /θ/ and /ð/ in English
    (University of Calgary, 1997-01) Smith, Laura Catharine
    Why do second language learners fail to acquire certain L2 phonemic contrasts even long after they have "mastered" the L2 syntax? In this paper, I seek to provide an answer to this question. Research by Brown (1993) indicates that the learner's L1 feature geometry plays a role in the acquisition of L2 segmental phonology. This hypothesis is tested by examining the inability of Japanese, German, Turkish and French (Canadian and European) learners of English to correctly perceive /θ/ and /ð/. I argue that the lack of the feature [distributed] in these languages is the source of these errors. This feature marks the contrast between /θ-ð/ and /s-z/ in English. Although feature geometry cannot predict the specific errors for each language, I argue that it can constrain the list of possible candidates which will be substituted for the interdentals. The error phones perceived share the same structure or have minimally less structure than that of the target phone. I suggest that the specific error phone is then determined at the phonetic level of the learner's L1.