Canadultsgainanative-likeaccent.doc

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Canadultsgainanative-likeaccent

　　Abstract：There is a hot debate in linguistics and second language acquisition over the extent to which the ability to acquire a second language is naturally connected with age.This article explores whether one's age at which he begins to learn a second language is a contributing factor in his accent.With contrastive analysis，the article comes to the conclusion that it is rare for late learners to have a native-like accent.
　　Key words：CPH （critical period hypothesis）；adult；age；native-like accent

　　The paper will focus on age factor which could have an impact on learners' accent.First and foremost，a definition of CPH（critical period hypothesis）will be introduced.Then two contrasting studies will be presented.Finally，a conclusion will sum up the main points of this paper.One factor that is thought to play a vital role in mastering a native accent in a foreign language is age.On this topic，Piske，Mackay & Flege，（2001）say “It is believed that a critical period（CP）exists for human speech learning”，and they argued that the late L2 learners would not acquire a native accent in their target language（TL）as they pass the puberty period time.Also，they argue that early learners would pronounce an L2 better than the late learners who learn the L2 after the CP.
　　Birdsong （1999，p1）stresses “the CPH states that there is a limited developmental period during which is possible to acquire a language，be it L1 or L2，to normal，native-like level.”Furthermore，Long （1990）argues that a second language learner can speak accentlessly if the language is learnt before the age of 6.
　　To explore this issue，Asher and Garcia （1969） did a survey with 71 Cuban children age ranging from seven to nineteen who had been living in the U.S.for five years，and they were asked to read some English sentences.Their pronunciation were all evaluated by native English speakers as “definitely native accent”，“near native accent”，“slight foreign accent”，“definite foreign accent”.Surprisingly，none of these children was considered all to have a“native accent”. Moreover，from this study，Asher and Garcia（1969）find age on arrival（AA）plays a critical role in gaining a native accent because among these children with an AA varying between 1 to 6 years，68% achieved a near-native accent，nobody got a definite foreign accent.
　　However，Bongaerts，Mennen and Slik（2000）believe it is possible for late language learners to achieve a native-like accent.So they did an investigation with 40 students divided into two groups：there were ten native Dutch speakers in group one，and the second group was made up of thirty ESL advanced Dutch learners who were from different nationalities，who had arrived in Holland at an average of 21.The participants from the two groups graduated from university or were college students.In this experiment，they were asked to read ten sentences mostly about fringe Dutch phones.And the experiment was conduced and judged by 21 native Dutch speakers.It turned out that some of the participants in group two did a better job and performed quite closely to the native speakers in group one.In particular，two outstanding participants had picked up Dutch in an immersion environment because they married Dutch girls and raised their children in Holland.
　　In summary，the above two case studies have showed that there were two different points of view regarding the topic.Piske，Mackay & Flege，（2001）believe past researches have presented that late L2 learners have a stronger foreigner accent than early L2 learners and the early ones tend to have some biological advantages in learning a foreign language.On the other hand，Bongaerts，Mennen and Slik（2000）summarize that nowadays the majority of excellent learners were likely to explore the nature and to get more target language input.Furthermore，Moyer （1999）argue that it seems the obvious phonological education plays an important role in helping learners to achieve a native-like phonological production.Indeed，all the marvelous learners attended training course which covered the perception and the production of the phonetic sound of English coaching.（Bongaerts，Summeren，Planken and Schils 1997）.Additionally，Bongaerts，Summeren，Planken and Schils（1997）state that it is rare for late learners to have a native-like accent.
　　Reference list：
　　[1]Asher，J.J.and Garcia，R.1969.The optimal age to learn a foreign language.The modern Language Journal 53（5），334-341.
　　[2]ongaerts，T.，Summeren，C.V，Planken，B.，Schils，E.（1997）.Age and ultimate attainment in the pronunciation of a foreign language.Studies in second language acquisition.19（4），447-465.
　　[3]Birdsong，D.（ED.）（1999）.Second language acquisition and the critical period hypothesis （1sted.）. Mahwah，NJ：Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
　　[4]Piske，T.，Mackay，I.A&Flege，J.E.（2001）.Factors affectors affecting degree of foreign accent in an L2 a review.Journal of Phonetics.29（2），191-215.
　　[5]Moyer，A.（1999）.Ultimate attainment in phonology：The critical factors of age，motivation，and instruction.Studies in Second Language Acquisition 21（1），81-108.
　　[6]Neufeld，G.（1978）.On the acquisition of prosodic and articulatory feathers in adult language learning.Canadian Modern Language Review 34（2）163-174.
　　[7]Long，M.H.（1990）.Maturational constrains on language development.Studies in Second Language Acquisition.12（3），251-285.

　　作者简介：戈国梁，男，（1978-），硕士研究生，毕业于澳大利亚昆士兰科技大学教育学院英语教学专业（TESOL），主攻英语教学法和二语习得方向。曾执教于国际知名英语学校，口语地道流利，上课幽默风趣，对海外文化有深刻地理解。在澳学习期间多次获得奖学金，曾在布里斯班孔子学院担任中文讲师，曾担任2010年上海世博会贵宾陪同翻译；参与2010年中国首届医博会接待工作。教授课程：大学英语、英美概况、文秘英语、商务英语翻译等。担任中国翻译协会会员，泰州晚报特约翻译，并曾经在上海的EF教学英语，获得最佳教师奖。

Welcome To
Download !!!

欢迎您的下载，资料仅供参考！

精品资料