Individual differences in the acquisition of language-specific and dialect-specific allophones of intervocalic /d/ by L2 and heritage Spanish speakers studying abroad in Sevilla

• Published in: Studies in second language acquisition Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 65 - 92
• Main Author: Regan, Brendan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, USA Cambridge University Press 01.03.2023
• Subjects: Acoustics; Advanced Students; Aspiration; Aural Learning; Dialects; English; Foreign Countries; Graphemes; Heritage Education; Individual Differences; Language; Language Acquisition; Language Attitudes; Language Proficiency; Language Variation; Linguistic Input; Metalinguistic awareness; Monolingualism; North American English; Phonemes; Phonetics; Phonology; Pragmatics; Pronunciation; Reading Processes; Research methodology; Romance Languages; Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; Second Languages; Semitic Languages; Social networks; Sociolinguistics; Spanish; Spanish as a second language learning; Spanish language; Student Attitudes; Study Abroad; Syllables; Syntax; Task Analysis; Written Language; Spain
• ISSN: 0272-2631; 1470-1545
• DOI: 10.1017/S027226312200002X

This study examines the role of language proficiency and other individual factors (attitudes, input) in the acquisition of language-specific [ð] and dialect-specific [∅] allophones of Spanish intervocalic /d/ in the /ado/ context by L2 and heritage Spanish speakers during a short-term study abroad in Sevilla, Spain. Twenty L2-intermediate, 10 L2-advanced, and 10 Heritage-advanced Spanish speakers completed a reading task at the beginning and the end of the program. Based on an acoustic analysis, a mixed-effects linear regression model found that only L2-advanced and Heritage-advanced groups demonstrated more approximant-like [ð] over time. However, proficiency level interacted with attitudes and input. There were a few [∅] realizations, mostly produced by an L2-advanced speaker who also demonstrated metalinguistic awareness of the dialect-specific allophone. The findings imply that advanced (L2 and heritage) speakers with favorable attitudes toward the local variety are most likely to demonstrate gradient language-specific allophonic changes during a short-term SA program.