Foreign Accents: Factors Relating to Transfer of Accent from the First Language to a Second Language

Abstract

This study examined predictors of transfer of accent from the first language (L1) to a second language (L2), in a group of people whose acquisition of English as an L2 had begun at ages ranging from 6 to 15+. The effect of age of L2 acquisition is very marked. If L2 acquisition had begun by 6, there is no transfer of accent. If L2 acquisition began after 12—13, there is invariably accent transfer, usually very marked. When accent transfer occurs between 7 and 11, it is usually very slight. These findings agree quite well with those of other studies, but there are discrepancies and these are indicated and discussed. Between 7 and 11, accent transfer may be affected by factors other than biological maturation. In our study, the only such factor to emerge strongly was whether L2 was used in the home, suggesting a shift of identification from the L1 to the L2 culture.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Asher, J.J. and Garcia, R. ( 1969). The optimal age to learn a foreign language. Modern Language Journal, 53, 334-342.

Gesell, A. and Ilg, F.L. ( 1946). The Child from Five to Ten (New York).

Hebb, D.O. ( 1942). The effect of early and late brain injury upon test scores, and the nature of normal adult intelligence. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 85, 275-292.

Hill, J. ( 1971). Foreign accents, language acquisition and cerebral dominance revisited. Language Learning, 20, 237-248.

Kinsbourne, M. ( 1975). The ontogeny of cerebral dominance. In D. Aaronson and R.W. Rieber (eds.), Developmental Psycholinguistics and Communication Disorders (New York).

Krashen, S.D. ( 1973). Lateralization, language learning and the critical period: Some new evidence. Language Learning, 23, 63-74.

Krashen, S.D. ( 1976). Personal communication. Cited in S. Oyama ( 1976).

Krashen, S.D. and Seliger, H.W. ( 1976). The role of formal and informal environments in second language learning: A pilot study. International Journal of Psycholinguistics, 5, 15-21.

Lenneberg, E.H. ( 1967). Biological Foundations of Language (New York) .

10.

Maccoby, E.E. and Jacklin, C.N. ( 1974). The Psychology of Sex Differences (Stanford).

11.

Oyama, S. ( 1976). A sensitive period for the acquisition of a non native phonological system. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research , 5, 261-283.

12.

Penfield, W. and Roberts, L. ( 1959). Speech and Brain Mechanisms (Princeton).

13.

Scovel, T. ( 1969). Foreign accents, language acquisition and cerebral dominance . Language Learning, 19, 245-254.

14.

Snow, C.E. and Hoefnagel-Höhle, M. ( 1977). Age differences in the pronunciation of foreign sounds . Language and Speech, 20, 357-365.

15.

Tahta, S. ( 1980). An investigation into second language learning. Unpublished M. Phil. thesis. City University, London.