Cover not available

Article published In: Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 31:1 (2018) ► pp.1–31

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
authorization required

The acquisition of voicing assimilation by advanced Hungarian learners of Spanish

 | The Open University
Published online: 27 August 2018
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/resla.17016.bar
Abstract
This study examines the effect of explicit phonological instruction on the acquisition of variable /s/ voicing in Spanish by advanced Hungarian learners. Hungarian and Spanish have very similar, yet not identical, voicing assimilation (VA) systems; the most important difference lies in the pre-sonorant context as sonorant consonants trigger voicing assimilation in Spanish but not in Hungarian. Data were collected in acoustic experiments from 7 native speakers of Northern Peninsular Spanish and 12 Hungarian university students who were advanced learners of Spanish. The latter group was tested twice: before and after a three-month Spanish phonetics and phonology course. Our data reveal that this amount of instruction is not enough for L2 speakers to overcome their first language VA system, which might be attributed, in part, to the variable allophonic nature of the process and the similarity between the two languages’ VA systems.
Resumen
En este estudio se examina el efecto de la instrucción fonológica explícita sobre la adquisición de la sonorización de /s/ en español por aprendices húngaros de nivel avanzado. El húngaro y el español tienen sistemas de asimilación de sonoridad muy parecidos pero no idénticos. La diferencia más destacable reside en que las consonantes resonantes causan asimilación de sonoridad en el castellano pero no en el húngaro. Nuestros datos proceden de experimentos acústicos con la participación de dos grupos: 7 hablantes nativos de español del norte peninsular y 12 estudiantes universitarios húngaros, aprendices avanzados de ELE. El segundo grupo fue evaluado dos veces: antes y después de un curso de Fonética y fonología españolas de tres meses. Nuestros datos muestran que esta cantidad de instrucción no es suficiente para que los alumnos de ELE superen su sistema de sonoridad nativo. Esto se puede deber en parte a la naturaleza variable alofónica del proceso y a la similitud entre los dos sistemas de sonoridad.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Background
    • 2.1Regressive voicing assimilation in Hungarian
    • 2.2/s/ voicing in Spanish
    • 2.3Pronunciation instruction and L2 acquisition
    • 2.4From L1 Hungarian to L2/FL Spanish pronunciation
  • 3.Methodology
    • 3.1Participants
    • 3.2Stimuli
    • 3.3Instruction period
    • 3.4Testing procedure
    • 3.5Statistical analysis
  • 4.Results
    • 4.1Expected voiceless realisations
    • 4.2Voicing context
  • 5.Discussion
    • 5-1Coarticulatory /s/ voicing by native Spanish speakers
    • 5.2Learning pre-sonorant voicing
  • 6.Conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
References (60)
References
Archibald, J., & Young-Scholten, M. (2003). The second language segment revisited. Second Language Research, 191, 163–7. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bárkányi, Z. (2014). Reflexiones sobre la asimilación de sonoridad de la /s/. In Z. Fábián, I. Szijj, I. Szilágyi, & B. Déri (Eds.), Köszöntő kötet Giampaolo Salvi 60. születésnapjára. Saggi di linguistica neolatina per i 60 anni di Giampaolo Salvi (pp. 25–36). Budapest: Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bárkányi, Z., & G. Kiss, Z. (2015). Why do sonorants not voice in Hungarian? And why do they voice in Slovak? In K. É. Kiss, B. Surányi & É. Dékány (Eds.), Approaches to Hungarian, 141 (pp. 65–94). Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(forthcoming). Neutralisation and contrast preservation: Voicing assimilation in Hungarian three-consonant clusters. Linguistic Variation.
Bárkányi, Z., & Mády, K. (2012, January). The perception of voicing in fricatives. Paper presented at the 9th Old World Conference in Phonology, Berlin, Germany.
Bates, D., Maechler, M., Bolker, B., & Walker, S. (2015). Fitting linear mixed-effects models using lme4. Journal of Statistical Software, 67(1), 1–48. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Boersma, P., & Weenink, D. (2012). Praat: Doing phonetics by computer. (Version 5.3.12). Retrieved from [URL].
Campos-Astorkiza, R. (2012, May). Voicing assimilation as gestural blending. Paper presented at the 20th Manchester Phonology Meeting, Manchester, UK.
(2014). Sibilant voicing assimilation in Peninsular Spanish as gestural blending. In M. -H. Côte & E. Mathieu (Eds.), Variation within and across Romance Languages (pp. 17–38). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2015). Segmental and prosodic conditionings on gradient voicing assimilation in Spanish. In R. Klassen, J. M. Liceras, & E. Valenzuela (Eds.), Hispanic Linguistics at the Crossroads: Theoretical Linguistics, Language Acquisition and Language Contact. Proceedings of the Hispanic Linguistics Symposium 2013 (pp. 127–144). Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cebrian, J. (2000). Transferability and productivity of L1 rules in Catalan–English interlanguage. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 221, 1–26. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Davidson, L., & Wilson, C. (2016). Processing non-native consonant clusters in the classroom: Perception and production of phonetic detail. Second Language Research, 32(4), 471–502. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Derwing, T. M., & Munro, M. J. (2009). Putting accent in its place: Rethinking obstacles to communication. Language Teaching, 421, 476–490. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Derwing, T. M., Munro, M. J., & Wiebe, G. (1998). Evidence in favor of a broad framework for pronunciation instruction. Language Learning, 48(3), 393–410. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Díaz-Campos, M. (2014). Context of learning in the acquisition of Spanish second language phonology. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 261, 249–273.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Draxler, C., & Jänsch, K. (2012). Speech recorder (version 2.2.1). Retrieved from [URL].
Elliot, A. R. (1995). Foreign language phonology: Field independence, attitude, and success of formal instruction in Spanish pronunciation. Modern Language Journal, 791, 530–542. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(1997). On the teaching and acquisition of pronunciation within a communicative approach. Hispania, 80(1), 95–108. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Face, T. L., & Menke, M. R. (2009). Acquisition of the Spanish voiced spirants by second language learners. In J. Collentine, M. Garcia, B. Lafford, & F. Marcos Marin (Eds.), Selected proceedings of the 11th Hispanic Linguistic Symposium. (pp. 39–52). Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Field, A., Miles, J., & Field, Z. (2012). Discovering statistics using R. London: Sage.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Flege, J. E. (1991). Age of learning affects the authenticity of voice-onset time (VOT) in stop consonants produced in a second language. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 89(1), 395–411. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
García, A. (2013). Allophonic variation in h Spanish sibilant fricatives. PhD dissertation, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gatbonton, E., & Trofimovich, P. (2008). The ethnic group affiliation and L2 proficiency link: Empirical evidence. Language Awareness, 171, 229–249. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gráczi, T. E. (2010). A spiránsok zöngésségi oppozíciójának néhány jellemzője [Some characteristics of the voicing contrast of fricatives]. Beszédkutatás 2010 (pp. 42–56). Budapest: Nyelvtudományi Intézet.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
González López, V., & Counselman, D. (2013). L2 Acquisition and category formation of Spanish voiceless stops by monolingual English novice learners. In J. Cabrelli Amaro et al. (Eds.), Selected Proceedings of the 16th Hispanic Linguistics Symposium (pp. 118–127). Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hammond, R. M. (2001). The sounds of Spanish. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Harris, J. (1994). English sound structure. Cambridge, MA & Oxford: Blackwell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hualde, J. (2005). The sounds of Spanish. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Isaacs, T. (2014). Assessing pronunciation. In A. J. Kunnan (Ed.), The companion to language assessment (Vol. 11, pp. 140–155). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Jansen, W. (2004). Laryngeal contrast and phonetic voicing: A laboratory phonology approach to English, Hungarian, and Dutch. PhD dissertation, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Jenkins, J. (2000). The phonology of English as an international language. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kissling, E. M. (2013). Is explicit phonetics instruction beneficial for FL learners? Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Faculty Publications, 81, 1–67.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kuznetsova, A., Brockhoff, P. B., & Bojesen-Christensen, R. H. (2016). lmerTest: Tests in linear mixed effects models. R package (version 2.0–32). Retrieved from [URL]
Lafford, B., & Salaberry, R. (2003). (Eds.), Studies in Spanish second language acquisition: State of the science. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lewis, A. (2001). Weakening of intervocalic /p, t, k/ in two Spanish dialects: Toward the quantification of lenition processes. PhD dissertation. Urbana-Champaign, IL: University of Illinois.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lord, G. 2005. (How) Can we teach foreign language pronunciation? On the effects of a Spanish phonetics course. Hispania, 88(3), 557–567. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Moulton, W. (1962). Toward a classification of pronunciation errors. Modern Language Journal, 461, 101–109. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Odlin, T. (1989). Language transfer: Crosslinguistic influence in language learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ohala, J. J. (1983). The origin of sound patterns in vocal tract constraints. In P. F. MacNeilage (Ed.), The production of speech (pp. 189–216). New York: Springer-Verlag. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Quilis, A. (1993). Tratado de fonética y fonología españolas. Madrid: Gredos, Biblioteca Románica.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
R Development Core Team. (2008). R: A language and environment for statistical computing. Foundation for Statistical Computing. Vienna, Austria. Retrieved from [URL].
Recasens, D., & Mira, M. (2012). Voicing assimilation in Catalan two-consonant clusters. Journal of Phonetics, 40(5), 639–654. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Romero, J. (1999). The effect of voicing assimilation on gestural coordination. International Congress of Phonetic Sciences 99, San Francisco, 1793–1796.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Saito, K. (2011). Examining the role of explicit phonetic instruction in native-like and comprehensible pronunciation development: An instructed SLA approach to L2 phonology. Language Awareness, 201, 45–59. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schmidt, L. B. (2014). Contextual variation in L2 Spanish: Voicing assimilation in advanced learner speech. Studies in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics, 7(1), 79–113. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schmidt, L. B., & Willis, E. W. (2011). Systematic investigation of voicing assimilation of Spanish /s/ in Mexico City. In S. M. Alvord (Ed.), Selected proceedings of the 5th conference on Laboratory Approaches to Romance Phonology (pp. 1–20). Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schwegler, A., Kempff, J., & Ameal-Guerra, A. (2010). Fonética y fonología españolas. 4th edition. Hoboken, N. J.: Wiley.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Simon, E. (2010). Phonological transfer of voicing and devoicing rules. Evidence from L1 Dutch and L2 English conversational speech. Language Sciences, 321, 63–86. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Siptár, P., & Törkenczy, M. (2000). The Phonology of Hungarian. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Skranitzl, R., & Šturm, P. (2017). Voicing assimilation in Czech and Slovak speakers of English: Interactions of segmental context, language and strength of foreign accent. Language and Speech, 601, 427–453. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Strycharczuk, P. (2012). Phonetics–phonology interactions in pre-sonorant voicing. PhD dissertation, University of Manchester.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Suomi, K. (1980). Voicing in English and Finnish stops. A typological comparison with an IL study of the two languages in contrast. PhD dissertation. Publications of the Department of Finnish and General Linguistics, 10, University of Turku: Turku.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Thomson, R. I., & Derwing, T. M. (2015). The effectiveness of L2 pronunciation instruction: A narrative review. Applied Linguistics, 36(3), 326–344. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Torreira, F., & Ernestus, M. (2012). Weakening of intervocalic /s/ in the Nijmegen Corpus of Casual Spanish. Phonetica, 691, 124–148. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Trujillo, R. (1980). Sonorización de sordas en Canarias. Anuario de Letras Lingüística y Filología, 181, 247–267.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
University of Iowa. Fonética: Los sonidos del español. Accessed at [URL]
Vago, R. (1980). The sound pattern of Hungarian. Washington DC: Georgetown University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wells, J. C. (2000). Longman pronunciation dictionary. Harlow: Longman/Pearson Education.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
White, L., & Mattys, S. L. (2007). Calibrating rhythm: first language and second language studies. Journal of Phonetics, 35(4), 501–522. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Zsigri, Gy. (1994). Magyar mássalhangzószabályok. [Rules for Hungarian consonants]. PhD dissertation, József Attila University, Szeged. (Published by JATEPress, Szeged, 2006.).Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (2)

Cited by two other publications

Bárkányi, Zsuzsanna & Zoltán G. Kiss
2025. The Link Between Perception and Production in the Laryngeal Processes of Multilingual Speakers. Languages 10:2 ► pp. 29 ff. DOI logo
Gaál, Zoltán Kristóf & Dorottya Szabó-Kovács
2025. Enseñar pronunciación en la clase de ELE: retos y oportunidades. PHONICA 21 ► pp. 1 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 30 november 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue