Prosodic marking of Prosodic marking of information status in L1 information status in L1

and L2and L2

dr.Laurent Rasierdr.Laurent RasierUniversité catholique de LouvainUniversité catholique de Louvain

laurent.rasier@uclouvain.belaurent.rasier@uclouvain.be

IntroductionIntroduction

Little attention paid to prosody in L2Little attention paid to prosody in L2 Important role in « foreign accent »Important role in « foreign accent » Social & communicative consequencesSocial & communicative consequences

Research program:Research program: Learning process of prosody?Learning process of prosody? Difficulties?Difficulties? Factors influencing L2 prosody?Factors influencing L2 prosody?

Use of (de)accentuation to signal Use of (de)accentuation to signal information status in L2 Dutch & L2 information status in L2 Dutch & L2 FrenchFrench

Accent in L2Accent in L2

Distributional studies of accent in L2:Distributional studies of accent in L2: Overproduction in L2Overproduction in L2 Overgeneralization of rules, transferOvergeneralization of rules, transfer MarkednessMarkedness

Accent in L2 Dutch and L2 French:Accent in L2 Dutch and L2 French: Poorly studiedPoorly studied Difficult to acquireDifficult to acquire

Research questionsResearch questions Germanic vs. Romance languages:Germanic vs. Romance languages:

Germ. lgues: accent // news valueGerm. lgues: accent // news value Rom. lgues: accent Rom. lgues: accent ≠ news value≠ news value

Possible impact on L2 acquisition of accentPossible impact on L2 acquisition of accent Research questions:Research questions:

Accentuation in L1 Dutch Accentuation in L1 Dutch ≠≠ accentuation in L1 accentuation in L1 French?French?

Impact on acquisition of L2 Dutch and L2 French?Impact on acquisition of L2 Dutch and L2 French? What about prosodic transfer?What about prosodic transfer?

MethodologyMethodology

Experimental accent placement test in L1 Experimental accent placement test in L1 & L2& L2 Description of geometrical figuresDescription of geometrical figures Variation of name and/of colour Variation of name and/of colour

40 informants, advanced level40 informants, advanced level 20 French-speaking learners of Dutch20 French-speaking learners of Dutch 20 Dutch-speaking learners of French20 Dutch-speaking learners of French Non-specialists (BAC2 students of economics)Non-specialists (BAC2 students of economics)

Methodology (2)Methodology (2)

Situational Situational contrastscontrasts

Control news valueControl news value:: New: New:

contextually contextually unknwonunknwon

Given: Given: contextually contextually knownknown

Contrastive: con-Contrastive: con-trast with trast with preceding preceding

New + New

Contrastive + Given (N)Given + Contrastive (F)

Given + Contrastive (N)Contrastive + Given (F)

Contrastive + Contrastive

Methodological frameworkMethodological framework

L1 Dutch

L2 Dutch L2 French

L1 French

Contrastive prosodic grammar – L1

Contrastive prosodic grammar – L2

1a

1b

2 2

1c 1c

3a

3b

4 PROSODICTRANSFER

5

Accent patterns in L1 DutchAccent patterns in L1 Dutch

Exp. Con.Exp. Con. Accent patternsAccent patterns N (%)N (%)

NNNN [Context: start of the game][Context: start of the game]

een RODE DRIEHOEKeen RODE DRIEHOEK

een RODE driehoekeen RODE driehoek18 (90%)18 (90%)

2 (10%)2 (10%)

GCGC [Context: een gele [Context: een gele driehoek]driehoek]

een geel VIERKANTeen geel VIERKANT

een GEEL VIERKANT een GEEL VIERKANT

Accent on each wordAccent on each word

20 (50%)20 (50%)

18 (45%)18 (45%)

2 (5%) 2 (5%)

CGCG [Context: een blauw [Context: een blauw vierkant]vierkant]

een ROOD vierkanteen ROOD vierkant

een ROOD VIERKANTeen ROOD VIERKANT

38 (95%)38 (95%)

2 (5%)2 (5%)

CCCC [Context: een rood [Context: een rood vierkant]vierkant]

een GELE STEReen GELE STER

een gele STEReen gele STER

38 (95%)38 (95%)

2 (5%)2 (5%)

Accent patterns in L1 FrenchAccent patterns in L1 FrenchExp. Con.Exp. Con. Accent patternsAccent patterns N (%)N (%)

NNNN [Context: start of the game][Context: start of the game]

un CERCLE ROUGEun CERCLE ROUGE

UN cercle ROUGEUN cercle ROUGE

un cercle ROUGEun cercle ROUGE

12 (60%)12 (60%)

6 (30%)6 (30%)

2 (10%)2 (10%)

GCGC [Context: un cercle rouge][Context: un cercle rouge]

un CERCLE BLEUun CERCLE BLEU

UN cercle BLEUUN cercle BLEU

un cercle BLEUun cercle BLEU

Accent on each wordAccent on each word

24 (60%)24 (60%)

12 (30%)12 (30%)

2 (5%)2 (5%)

2 (5%)2 (5%)

CGCG [Context: un cercle bleu][Context: un cercle bleu]

un TRIANGLE BLEUun TRIANGLE BLEU

un TRIANGLE bleuun TRIANGLE bleu

un triangle BLEU un triangle BLEU

Accent on each wordAccent on each word

40 (67%)40 (67%)

18 (30%)18 (30%)

1 (1,5%)1 (1,5%)

1 (1,5%)1 (1,5%)

CCCC [Context: un triangle vert][Context: un triangle vert]

une ETOILE JAUNEune ETOILE JAUNE

une étoile JAUNEune étoile JAUNE

UNE étoile JAUNEUNE étoile JAUNE

une ETOILE jauneune ETOILE jaune

50 (83,5%)50 (83,5%)

4 (6,6%)4 (6,6%)

4 (6,6%)4 (6,6%)

2 (3,3%)2 (3,3%)

Typology of accent systemsTypology of accent systems

Contrast Dutch – French:Contrast Dutch – French: French: structural > pragmatic factorsFrench: structural > pragmatic factors Dutch: pragmatic > structural factorsDutch: pragmatic > structural factors

Eckmanns Eckmanns Markedness Differential HypothesisMarkedness Differential Hypothesis A more marked than B if A A more marked than B if A B but B B but B ? ? Pragmatic rules more marked than structural ones + marked rules Pragmatic rules more marked than structural ones + marked rules

more difficult than unmarked onesmore difficult than unmarked ones Accentuation in Dutch more marked than in French, so more Accentuation in Dutch more marked than in French, so more

difficult difficult

Structural rulesonly

Structural & pragmatic rules

Pragmatic rulesonly

e.g. Portuguese,Spanish, Italian

e.g. French,Romanian

e.g. Dutch,German, English ?

Pragmatic & structural rules

Unmarked Marked

Typology of accentuation rulesTypology of accentuation rules

Predictions (based on Eckmann 1987):Predictions (based on Eckmann 1987): Marked patterns more difficult than unmarked onesMarked patterns more difficult than unmarked ones If marked in L2 but less marked than in L1, then not difficultIf marked in L2 but less marked than in L1, then not difficult The more marked in L1, the less likely to be transferred to L2The more marked in L1, the less likely to be transferred to L2

FR:- final accentNL:- rhythmicaccent

FR:- bridge accentNL:- /

NL:- integra-tive accent (d.i. broad focus)

Unmarked Marked

Structural Structural / pragmatic

Pragmatic / structural

Pragmatic

FR:- extended bridge ac-cent

FR:- narrow focus- deaccen-tuation

NL:- narrow fo-cus- deaccen-tuation

Accentuation in L2 Dutch/L2 Accentuation in L2 Dutch/L2 FrenchFrench

L2 Dutch:L2 Dutch: 48% correct48% correct

L2 French:L2 French: 75% correct75% correct

Easier D Easier D F F than F than F D D

Correction level

correctacceptablewrong

Perc

en

tag

e

80,0%

70,0%

60,0%

50,0%

40,0%

30,0%

20,0%

10,0%

L2 FrenchL2 Dutch

IL variety

Accent patterns in L1/L2 DutchAccent patterns in L1/L2 DutchExp. Con.Exp. Con. Accent patternsAccent patterns L2 DutchL2 Dutch L1 DutchL1 Dutch

NNNN [Context: start of the game][Context: start of the game]

een RODE DRIEHOEKeen RODE DRIEHOEK

een rode DRIEHOEK een rode DRIEHOEK

een RODE driehoekeen RODE driehoek

accent on each wordaccent on each word

12 (60%)12 (60%)

1 (5%)1 (5%)

1 (5%)1 (5%)

6 (30%)6 (30%)

18 (90%)18 (90%)

0 (0%)0 (0%)

2 (10%)2 (10%)

0 (0%)0 (0%)

GCGC [Context: een gele driehoek][Context: een gele driehoek]

een GEEL VIERKANTeen GEEL VIERKANT

een geel VIERKANTeen geel VIERKANT

accent on each wordaccent on each word

28 (70%)28 (70%)

2 (5%)2 (5%)

10 (25%)10 (25%)

18 (45%)18 (45%)

20 (50%)20 (50%)

2 (5%)2 (5%)

CGCG [Context: een rode driehoek][Context: een rode driehoek]

een GELE DRIEHOEKeen GELE DRIEHOEK

een GELE driehoekeen GELE driehoek

accent on each wordaccent on each word

20 (50%)20 (50%)

14 (35%)14 (35%)

6 (15%)6 (15%)

2 (5%)2 (5%)

38 (95%)38 (95%)

CCCC [Context: een geel vierkant][Context: een geel vierkant]

een GROENE STEReen GROENE STER

een groene STEReen groene STER

accent on each wordaccent on each word

33 (82,5%)33 (82,5%)

0 (0%)0 (0%)

7 (17,5%)7 (17,5%)

38 (95%)38 (95%)

2 (5%)2 (5%)

Deaccentuation in L1/L2 Deaccentuation in L1/L2 DutchDutch

Accent patterns L1/L2 FrenchAccent patterns L1/L2 FrenchExp. Con.Exp. Con. Accent patternsAccent patterns L2 FrenchL2 French L1 FrenchL1 French

NNNN [Context: start of the game][Context: start of the game]

un CERCLE ROUGEun CERCLE ROUGE

UN cercle ROUGEUN cercle ROUGE

un cercle ROUGEun cercle ROUGE

Accent on each wordAccent on each word

14 (73,5%)14 (73,5%)

3 (16%)3 (16%)

0 (0%)0 (0%)

2 (10,5%)2 (10,5%)

12 (60%)12 (60%)

6 (30%)6 (30%)

2 (10%)2 (10%)

0 (0%)0 (0%)

GCGC [Context: un cercle rouge][Context: un cercle rouge]

un CERCLE BLEUun CERCLE BLEU

UN cercle BLEUUN cercle BLEU

un cercle BLEUun cercle BLEU

Accent on each wordAccent on each word

22 (59%)22 (59%)

2 (5%)2 (5%)

7 (18%)7 (18%)

7 (18%)7 (18%)

24 (60%)24 (60%)

12 (30%)12 (30%)

2 (5%)2 (5%)

2 (5%)2 (5%)

CGCG [Context: un cercle bleu][Context: un cercle bleu]

un TRIANGLE BLEUun TRIANGLE BLEU

un TRIANGLE bleuun TRIANGLE bleu

un triangle BLEUun triangle BLEU

Accent on each wordAccent on each word

18 (30%)18 (30%)

40 (67%)40 (67%)

1 (1,5%)1 (1,5%)

1 (1,5%)1 (1,5%)

32 (56%)32 (56%)

22 (38,5%)22 (38,5%)

0 (0%)0 (0%)

3 (5,5%)3 (5,5%)

CCCC Context: un triangle bleu]Context: un triangle bleu]

une ETOILE JAUNEune ETOILE JAUNE

UNE étoile JAUNEUNE étoile JAUNE

une étoile JAUNEune étoile JAUNE

Une ETOILE jauneUne ETOILE jaune

Accent on each wordAccent on each word

50 (83,5%)50 (83,5%)

4 (6,6%)4 (6,6%)

4 (6,6%)4 (6,6%)

2 (3,3%)2 (3,3%)

0 (0%)0 (0%)

43 (75,4%)43 (75,4%)

8 (14,1%)8 (14,1%)

0 (0%)0 (0%)

0 (0%)0 (0%)

6 (10,5%)6 (10,5%)

Over-/Underuse in L2 FrenchOver-/Underuse in L2 French Overuse:Overuse:

Narrow focusNarrow focus Accent on Accent on

each wordeach word Underuse:Underuse:

Bridge accentBridge accent Extended Extended

bridge accentbridge accent Not produced:Not produced:

Final accentFinal accent

Accentuation*pausing problemAccentuation*pausing problem

Accent on each word Accent on each word contextually contextually inadequate:inadequate: [een gele driehoek] *EEN euh GEEL // VIERkant[een gele driehoek] *EEN euh GEEL // VIERkant [un cercle bleu] *UN // TRIanGLE // euh: BLEU[un cercle bleu] *UN // TRIanGLE // euh: BLEU

Accent on both lexical items in the phrase Accent on both lexical items in the phrase not always contextually inadequate:not always contextually inadequate: [start of the game] een ROde ehm // DRIEhoek[start of the game] een ROde ehm // DRIEhoek [een rode driehoek] *een GEle: // DRIEhoek[een rode driehoek] *een GEle: // DRIEhoek [un cercle rouge] un CERcle // BLEU[un cercle rouge] un CERcle // BLEU

Pausing*accentuationPausing*accentuation

ConclusionConclusion Accentuation Dutch Accentuation Dutch ≠ accentuation ≠ accentuation

FrenchFrench Impact on accentuation in L2:Impact on accentuation in L2:

TransferTransfer Link with markednessLink with markedness

PausingPausing Future work:Future work:

Phonetics & phonology of accent in L2Phonetics & phonology of accent in L2 Use of prosody & syntax in the linguistic Use of prosody & syntax in the linguistic

marking of information status in L2marking of information status in L2

Thank you for your Thank you for your attention!attention!

Bedankt voor uw aandacht!Bedankt voor uw aandacht!