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In:Generative SLA in the Age of Minimalism: Features, interfaces, and beyond
Edited by Tania Leal, Elena Shimanskaya and Casilde A. Isabelli
[Language Acquisition and Language Disorders 67] 2022
► pp. 137–156

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Development of L2 prosody

The case of information focus

 | University of Shizuoka
 | Hiroshima University
 | University of Shizuoka
 | The Ohio State University
 | Osaka Jogakuin University
 | Daito Bunka University
Published online: 17 August 2022
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/lald.67.06fuj
Abstract
This study examines the development of L2 English prosody as associated with information focus by Japanese EFL (JEFL) learners. Comprehension, perception, and production tasks were conducted with 54 participants in three sub-groups: low proficiency level JEFLs, high proficiency level JEFLs, and native English speakers. Results show that the low-level JEFLs could identify which parts of sentences require focus but they could not successfully perceive nor produce three different prosodic patterns associated with information focus. In contrast, high proficiency JEFLs demonstrated native-like performance, with a slight difficulty in producing post-focal compression. Our findings have implications for the syntax-discourse-prosody interface: (i) the interface knowledge develops through multiple stages, and (ii) the discourse-prosody interface is challenging for L2 learners.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Realizing information focus in English and Japanese
    • 2.1Information focus marking in English
    • 2.2Information focus marking in Japanese
    • 2.3Research questions
  • 3.Experiments
    • 3.1Comprehension task
    • 3.2Perception task
    • 3.3Production task
  • 4.Discussion
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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