Understanding the perception-production link in the L2

The phonology of a second language (L2) is rarely acquired at a native level by adult speakers, both in terms of perception and production of non-native speech sounds. In the native language (L1), evidence for a close link between speech perception and production has been found, whereby perception affects production and vice versa. When exposed to their own speech through headphones (auditory feedback), speakers compensate for real-time alterations in the auditory feedback. Moreover, this adaptation in their production causes changes in the perceptual representation of sound categories (i.e., recalibration). The connection between perception and production is thus bidirectional and seems quite automatic and spontaneous in the L1.
The focus of my doctoral research is to investigate whether the compensation and recalibration phenomena also occur in the L2 and to what extent the link between perception and production plays a role in the acquisition of non-native segments. The acquisition of Brazilian Portuguese (BP) nasal vowels /i?, e?, o?, u?/ by French, English, and Spanish speakers will therefore be examined, given that these languages differ with regards to the presence of nasal or nasalized vowels in their respective vowel inventories. TO BE CONT.

Faculty Supervisor:

Laura Colantoni

Student:

Partner:

Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Toronto

Program: