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Part of
Contemporary Trends in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics: Selected papers from the Hispanic Linguistic Symposium 2015
Edited by Jonathan E. MacDonald
[Issues in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics 15] 2018
► pp. 237–258

Chapter 11
Voice onset time and the child foreign language learner of Spanish

| University of Minnesota

Stop consonants are one of the most investigated sound classes in second language speech production studies. Robust age of acquisition effects are documented in the literature base; however, the advantage of early learners has been primarily documented in second language, not foreign language, contexts. In order to further tease apart the variables of age and context, this paper compares the VOT values of /p, t, k/ of a cross-sectional sample of child, foreign language learners of Spanish with those of Spanish-English bilinguals. Learner productions did not differ from those of native speaking peers, yet there was a significant interaction of first language and grade level, suggesting that age of acquisition alone is insufficient to explain outcomes. Quantity of input, in both the first and second/foreign language, is explored as a possible explanation.

Keywords: voice onset time, second language phonology, early second language learning, language immersion education
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1VOT
    • 2.2L2/FL acquisition of VOT
      • 2.2.1Age and L2/FL acquisition of VOT
      • 2.2.2Context of learning and L2/FL acquisition of VOT
      • 2.2.3Language use patterns and L2/FL acquisition of VOT
      • 2.2.4Proficiency level and L2/FL acquisition of VOT
  • 3.Research design
    • 3.1Participants
    • 3.2Data collection and analysis
  • 4.Results
    • 4.1Absolute VOT
    • 4.2Relative VOT
  • 5.Discussion
  • 6.Conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
  • Appendix
Published online: 14 February 2018
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.15.12men
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