Transfer, fossilization and prosodic drift in Foreign Language Learning

Authors

  • Riccardo Orrico Università degli Studi di Salerno
  • Violetta Cataldo Università degli Studi di Salerno
  • Renata Savy Università degli Studi di Salerno
  • Linda Barone Università degli Studi di Salerno

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17469/O2102AISV000007

Keywords:

prosodic transfer, yes-no questions, English as a Foreign Language

Abstract

This article aims to shed light on the processes governing the development of prosodic competence in Italian learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). We have analysed the intonational contours of yes-no questions read by five groups of speakers (A, B, C, E, and P). Groups A, B, and C are learners of EFL at three different levels (beginner, intermediate, and advanced), who have never spent significant periods of time in English-speaking countries. Group E includes advanced learners who have English language experience in the UK. Group P includes Italian professors of EFL, who represent a sample of speakers with both acquisition experience and high proficiency in English. Our results highlight the total lack of improvement from Group A to C, allowing us to suggest the occurrence of prosodic transfer and drifts. On the contrary, speakers who have acquired the language in natural environments show improvements in their FL prosodic competence, but this is identified only in some of the prosodic cues analysed. The cues for which we did not observe improvements are thought to be more vulnerable to fossilization.

Downloads

Published

31-12-2016

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.