A1 Journal article (refereed)
Second Language Prosody and its Development : Connection between Different Aspects (2020)

Kuronen, M., & Tergujeff, E. (2020). Second Language Prosody and its Development : Connection between Different Aspects. Language Learning Journal, 48(6), 685-699. https://doi.org/10.1080/09571736.2018.1434228

JYU authors or editors

Kuronen, Mikko
Vasu, Elina

Publication details

All authors or editors: Kuronen, Mikko; Tergujeff, Elina

Journal or series: Language Learning Journal

ISSN: 0957-1736

eISSN: 1753-2167

Publication year: 2020

Volume: 48

Issue number: 6

Pages range: 685-699

Publisher: Taylor & Francis, Routledge

Place of Publication: Abingdon

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09571736.2018.1434228

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access:

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/75878

Abstract

This study focuses on the development of L2 prosody and, in particular, whether different aspects can affect each other. Finnish-speaking learners of Swedish took part in a pronunciation and oral skills course and were recorded for various speaking tasks before and after the experimental intervention. Read-aloud declarative sentences (statements) from nine learners were acoustically analysed for several tonal and temporal aspects, focusing on the marking of primary stress. The results reveal that the learning of Swedish tonal word accent 2 (H*LH) facilitates other tonal developments towards native-like utterance intonation. A link between tonal and temporal developments in the marking of primary stress was, however, not found, but the duration measurements suggest that articulation rate and tonal developments may be connected. The study’s implications for teaching and future research regarding any L2 – not only Swedish – include that aspects of learning L2 prosody should not be treated as separate, and that more emphasis should be placed on the possible connections between the learning of different aspects.

Keywords: second language; pronunciation; prosody; Swedish language; learning; tonality; accent (linguistics); rhythm