Unravelling the complexities of intonational learning and transfer in second language speech

An important aspect of speech is intonation, i.e. the variation of pitch while speaking. Not only does intonation play an important role in conveying meaning, it also provides the listener with information about the speaker, including aspects of their identity (such as gender or age), affective state (whether the speaker is happy, sad, etc.), and social status or class. It is well known that languages differ in intonation, so that intonation is sometimes referred to as the melody of a language. Since a good deal of the impression we derive about speakers depends on the way we use pitch in speech, such language-specific differences may cause considerable misunderstanding between speakers from different cultural backgrounds and many stereotypes associated with different social groups or communities may in fact stem from them. It is therefore important to establish what the basis is of cross-language differences in intonation, and how they are realised by L2 learners with an L1 which differs from the target language in some properties of intonation. From a scientific point of view, establishing this tells us about how languages are learned and stored, and how the L1 and L2 interact with one another. On the practical side, if we can gain a basic understanding of which properties of intonation are susceptible to transfer from the L1, it would eventually allow improved language courses and improve cross-language communication. For example, the relatively flat and low intonation of German learners of English may make them sound 'bleak, dogmatic or pedantic, and as a result, English listeners may consider them uncompromising and self-opinionated' (Trim 1988, as quoted in Grabe 1998), an example which illustrates that impressions based on intonation may lead to ill-founded stereotypes about national or linguistic groups.

This fellowship will support the completion of a series of research articles in peer-reviewed, international journals, which address the question of cross-language differences in intonation and how they are produced by L2 learners. Intonation can be varied in a number of ways: through variations in its inventory of intonation patterns; the way these patters are realised (e.g. are they produced in a high register? Or are they rather flat?); their frequency of use (which pattern is more commonly used?); and their use to signal intonational function (e.g. to highlight parts of an utterance, or to distinguish statements from questions). The series of articles will explore L2 intonation along these dimensions of intonation, and establish which cross-language differences are more susceptible to transfer from the L1 at different stages of proficiency. Findings will be publicised by means of a workshop, conference presentations, and presentations to users (such as the L2 learners themselves).

This research aims to fill important gaps in our understanding of cross-language differences in intonation, how they are produced by L2 learners, and the nature and extent of interaction in intonation between learners' first and second language. As such, our study will inform academics in a variety of disciplines and subdisciplines, including phoneticians, phonologists, researchers in second language acquisition, applied linguists, language teachers, and teacher educators.

Beyond academia, this research will ultimately have an effect on a number of individuals: language teachers, teacher educators, interpreters, the second language learners themselves, and parents of children who are growing up acquiring more than one language. By communicating the findings of this research to these individuals outside my discipline, I will draw attention to a possible source of miscommunication between speakers from different cultural and language backgrounds and make them aware of the fact that many stereotypes associated with different social groups or communities may in fact stem from cross-language differences in pronunciation. Although language teachers, language learners and interpreters might be aware of difficulties in cross-language communication, they are unlikely to have in depth information as to the exact nature of how intonation may affect this, and which dimensions of intonation need to be adapted in order to improve it. Pinpointing the aspects of intonation that are difficult for learners will help the learners themselves, and will help educators to improve teaching methods. It may also help parents who are raising their children bilingually to point these out to their children, and it may help interpreters to improve some of the non-lexical aspects of their translation. The press and general public have already expressed an interest in these possible sources of cross-language miscommunication, as preliminary results of this research have already featured in the press ('Scientists lend ear to friendliness of voices', Scotland on Sunday) and Mennen has been interviewed by BBC Radio 4 'Word of Mouth' about stereotypes associated with the use of pitch in cross-language communication and sources of cross-language miscommunication.