Browsing by Author "Baumotte, Henrike"

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    Segmental factors in language proficiency : degree of velarization, coarticulatory resistance and vowel formant frequency distribution as a signature of talent
    (2011) Baumotte, Henrike; Dogil, Grzegorz (Prof. Dr.)
    The present PhD proposes a reason for German native speakers of various proficiency levels and multiple English varieties producing their L2 English with different degrees of a foreign accent. The author took into account phonetic measurements to investigate the degree of velarization and coarticulation or coarticulatory resistance respectively in German and English, taking non-words and natural language stimuli. To get an impression of the differences between the productions of proficient, average and less proficient speakers in German and English, the mean F2 and Fv values in /ə/ before /l/ and in /l/ were calculated, for then comparing the degree of velarization in /əlV/ non-word sequences with each other. Proficient speakers gained lower formant frequencies for F2 and Fv in /ə/ than less proficient speakers, i.e. proficient speakers velarized more than less proficient speakers. Within the comparisons with respect to coarticulation or coarticulatory resistance results respectively the difference values for F2 and F2' out of /ə/ in /əleɪ/ vs. /əlu:/, /əly/ vs. /əleɪ/ and /əly/ vs. /əlaɪ/ were created. In the whole series of measurements, an overwhelming trend for proficient speakers being more coarticulatory resistant, i.e. velarizing more, and more precisely pronouncing English vowel characteristics than less proficient speakers was present, while average speakers did not continuously behave according to prediction, as a result of being sometimes “worse” than less proficient speakers. On the basis of Díaz et al. (2008) who pled for pre-existing individual differences in phonetic discrimination ability which enormously influence the achievement of a foreign sound system, it is claimed for a derivation of foreign language from native phonetic abilities.