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Show COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES L3 VOT AS EVIDENCE FOR MODELS OF THIRD-LANGUAGE ACQUISITION Jeffrey Green (Rachel Hayes-Harb) Department of Linguistics University of Utah Although learning a second language can be difficult, especially for adults, many people believe that once an individual has acquired a second language, it will be easier to learn a third. Individuals m a y apply strategies learned while studying a second language (L2) to their study of a third, but this does not necessarily mean that learning a third language (L3) will be easier. As individuals study an L3, their knowledge of both their native language (L1) and their L2 will compete with their developing L3. Previous research has shown that during early stages of L3 acquisition, both L1 and L2 phonology (the underlying sound system of a language) influence the phonology of an L3. This is evident, for example, in learners' production of some word-initial consonants, such as g and k. Languages differ in the timing between the articulation of the consonant and the beginning of vibration of the vocal folds (voicing) associated with a following vowel sound. This timing is known as Voice Onset Time (VOT). Studies suggest a stronger influence from L2 than from LI in L3 V O T production. However, learners in these studies had previous knowledge of the L3. Research has yet to investigate the influence of LI and L2 phonology in the very initial stages of L3 acquisition (when the language is totally unfamiliar). This study investigates this influence by presenting English and Spanish bilinguals with series of tasks designed to elicit evidence of V O T boundaries in their L1 and L2, as well as in a third, unfamiliar language. The results of these tasks indicate that English/Spanish bilinguals exhibit a V O T boundary in the third language that is closer to their Spanish boundary. Further research will investigate whether this is due to perceived similarities between Spanish and the third language or to recency effects. This research will give important insights for current models of L3 acquisition. Jeffrey Green 45 |
