When Your Native Language Sounds Foreign

Most individuals learning a second language (L2) in adulthood end up speaking it with a foreign accent. Foreign-accented speech results from differences from native speaker pronunciation norms and often retains traces of the speakers first language (L1). Recent research has shown, however, that the reverse is also possible, i.e. that learning an L2 can affect pronunciation in the L1, even to the extent that individuals sound foreign in their native language. This decline from an individuals previous L1 language abilities in a healthy individual immersed in an environment where the L2 is dominant is commonly referred to as L1 attrition. The proposed project aims to uncover the nature of foreign accent in L1 attrition by experimentally addressing a series of research questions. First, we will systematically investigate whether some areas of pronunciation are more prone to attrition than others, and if so which. To this end, using innovative methods, the pronunciation of English expatriates in Austria will be investigated for perceived differences from the native L1 norm, taking both individual sounds, such as vowels and consonants, and larger entities, such as intonation and rhythm into account. Secondly, this project is the first to investigate the relationship between subjective perceptions of changes to L1 pronunciation and their measurable acoustic-phonetic manifestation. This will be achieved by systematically examining those aspects that were perceived as non-native in the L1. To identify differences from the native norm, the acoustic data will be compared to speech productions by native English speakers living in England. In addition, it will be investigated if changes to L1 pronunciation are caused by interactions with the respective features in the L2. To this end, the participants acoustic data will be compared to the German pronunciation patterns of native German speakers from Austria. Finally, the project aims to establish why some individuals are perceived as non-native while others in similar circumstances are not. Accordingly, a large number of potential variables will be investigated that may predict L1 phonetic attrition, e.g. how often the L1 and L2 are used, how old they are when they start learning the L2, how motivated they are, whether or not they have a particular talent for pronunciation, etc. In this context, it will also be determined whether speakers who are very proficient in the L2 are more prone to L1 attrition. Overall, the project will significantly contribute to a better understanding of L1 phonetic attrition by showing how and under what circumstances pronunciation can be unlearned. Alongside these theoretical contributions, the project will also be of practical value for L2 teachers and learners.

Most individuals learning a second language (L2) in adulthood will speak it with a foreign accent containing traces of the speakers' first language (L1). Recent research has shown, however, that the reverse is also possible, i.e. that learning an L2 can affect pronunciation in the L1, even to the extent that individuals sound foreign in their native language. This is commonly referred to as L1 phonetic attrition. This project aimed to uncover the nature of foreign accent in L1 attrition in the pronunciation of English expatriates in Austria for perceived differences from the native L1 norm. To this end, we identified how often listeners perceived the participants in our study as non-native and which pronunciation features created this impression. Just under half (47%) of the expatriates were perceived as not sounding native in their L1: 42% were perceived as mildly accented and 5% as heavily accented. It shows that it is not uncommon for individuals to have a mild foreign accent in their L1. Listeners associated non-native speech most commonly with speech rate, intonation, and vowels, whereas consonants were mentioned considerably less often. This shows that some accentual features are more likely to be perceived as non-native than others. Secondly, the project examined how those aspects that were most commonly perceived as non-native in the L1 were produced by the participants. Results showed that their speech productions differed from those of native English speakers living in England. A comparison of the participants' data to the German pronunciation patterns of native German speakers from Austria, showed that the observed changes to L1 pronunciation are caused by interactions with the respective features in the L2. Thus, listeners base their judgements of non-nativelikeness on influences from L2 pronunciation that are present in the participants' L1 speech. Finally, the project aimed to establish why some individuals are perceived as non-native while others in similar circumstances are not. We found that individuals who have stayed longer in the L2 environment tend to be perceived as less native, but other factors (e.g. how often the L1 and L2 are used, how old they are when they start learning the L2, or whether speakers who are very proficient in the L2 are more prone to L1 attrition) could not explain individual differences in perceived non-nativelikeness. We found, for instance, that good pronunciation in the L2 does not necessarily lead to perceptible changes in L1 pronunciation, as some speakers had a very weak accent in their L2 but were nevertheless perceived as strongly accented in their L1. Overall, the findings have increased our understanding of L1 phonetic attrition by showing which aspects of pronunciation can be 'unlearned' and how this affects perceived nativeness.