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  8. 2017

Phonology Talks | Charles Chang

13 February 2017

Time: 1:00pm
Venue: Francis Bancroft 1.13, Time: 13:00-13:45

Title:

What studying bilinguals tells us about phonological knowledge

Abstract:

The study of dual phonologies in contact has been influenced by three axioms regarding the relationship between the native language (L1) and a later-acquired language (L2) in incipient bilingualism: (1) automatic perceptual linkage of the L1 and L2 at an allophonic level, (2) negative interference of the L1 in the L2, and (3) a direct relationship between L2 proficiency and L2 influence on the L1. In this talk, I will report findings from three strands of my research on bilinguals (L1 Shanghainese-L2 Mandarin, L1 Korean-L2 English, L1 English-L2 Korean) that contradict all of these axioms and, thus, necessitate modifications to the theory of bilingual phonology. Taken together, these findings argue in favor of a more nuanced view of dual phonological organization, wherein cross-linguistic links occur at multiple levels and have consequences dependent on specific patterns of L1-L2 alignment that are not necessarily negative.

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