Perception of Vowels in Sequential Bilinguals

ERDENER V. D., Burnham D.

TURK PSIKOLOJI DERGISI, vol.34, no.83, pp.44-56, 2019 (SSCI, Scopus, TRDizin) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 34 Issue: 83
  • Publication Date: 2019
  • Doi Number: 10.31828/tpd1300443320180202m000003
  • Journal Name: TURK PSIKOLOJI DERGISI
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Page Numbers: pp.44-56
  • Keywords: Psychology of language, second language acquisition, vowels, bilingualism, SPEECH-PERCEPTION, DEVELOPMENTAL-CHANGES, JAPANESE ADULTS, L1 USE, INFANTS, REORGANIZATION, PRONUNCIATION, EXPERIENCE
  • Middle East Technical University Northern Cyprus Campus Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

We investigated the effect of early exposure to a second language on the perception of isolated vowel contrasts with three groups: Turkish-English early bilinguals, Turkish-English late bilinguals, monolinguals. As stimuli, we used isolated forms of vowels from English, Turkish and Thai. Results revealed that for Thai-only native contrasts, a significant difference was observed between late and early bilinguals for both phonetic and phonological levels of processing suggesting that acquisition of a second language prior to reading skills acquisition paves the way for sensitivity to non-native vowel contrasts. Findings are discussed in the light of theoretical considerations as well as in terms of applied settings such as second language learning and teaching.