“My voice sounds so different in my second language”: Differences in L1 English and L2 Spanish pitch during study abroad in Barcelona.
Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1035-7141
Document Type
Paper Presentation
Presenter Language
English
Research Area
Phonetics & Phonology
Location
MBSC Gallery Room 308
Start Date
18-10-2024 11:30 AM
End Date
18-10-2024 12:00 PM
Abstract
The current study investigated the potential differences existing in voice quality when we speak our first language (L1) versus our second language (L2). In particular, the present study focused on differences in fundamental frequency (f0) range and mean (i.e., perceived pitch) when 12 (N = 12) female L1 English advanced learners of Spanish participated in a six-week summer study abroad (SA) program in Barcelona, Spain. While previous studies have investigated cross linguistic differences in voice quality (e.g., Altenberg & Ferrand, 2006; Busà & Urbani, 2011; Mennen et al., 2012; Zimmerer et al., 2014; Lee & van Lancker Sidtis, 2017; Ordin & Mennen, 2017; Passoni et al., 2022), they have focused mainly on fully bilingual speakers of the L1 and L2. The current study adopted a novel approach by situating itself within the study abroad (SA) context, where L2 learners experience a unique learning environment. The goal of the study, therefore, was to explore differences in participants’ f0 ranges and means when responding to oral diary prompts in their L1 (English) compared to their L2 (Spanish) over the course of a 6-week summer SA in Barcelona, Spain. Additionally, the variable of time was considered, exploring if there were significant differences in L1 and L2 pitch range and mean between when participants recorded their diary prompts at the beginning of the sojourn (Time 1) versus at the end (Time 2). Results of the RM ANOVA run revealed that, while no significant differences were observed for f0 mean or time, there was a significant difference in participants’ f0 ranges when responding in English vs. Spanish at both Time 1 and Time 2, showing a wider pitch range in the L2 (Spanish).
“My voice sounds so different in my second language”: Differences in L1 English and L2 Spanish pitch during study abroad in Barcelona.
MBSC Gallery Room 308
The current study investigated the potential differences existing in voice quality when we speak our first language (L1) versus our second language (L2). In particular, the present study focused on differences in fundamental frequency (f0) range and mean (i.e., perceived pitch) when 12 (N = 12) female L1 English advanced learners of Spanish participated in a six-week summer study abroad (SA) program in Barcelona, Spain. While previous studies have investigated cross linguistic differences in voice quality (e.g., Altenberg & Ferrand, 2006; Busà & Urbani, 2011; Mennen et al., 2012; Zimmerer et al., 2014; Lee & van Lancker Sidtis, 2017; Ordin & Mennen, 2017; Passoni et al., 2022), they have focused mainly on fully bilingual speakers of the L1 and L2. The current study adopted a novel approach by situating itself within the study abroad (SA) context, where L2 learners experience a unique learning environment. The goal of the study, therefore, was to explore differences in participants’ f0 ranges and means when responding to oral diary prompts in their L1 (English) compared to their L2 (Spanish) over the course of a 6-week summer SA in Barcelona, Spain. Additionally, the variable of time was considered, exploring if there were significant differences in L1 and L2 pitch range and mean between when participants recorded their diary prompts at the beginning of the sojourn (Time 1) versus at the end (Time 2). Results of the RM ANOVA run revealed that, while no significant differences were observed for f0 mean or time, there was a significant difference in participants’ f0 ranges when responding in English vs. Spanish at both Time 1 and Time 2, showing a wider pitch range in the L2 (Spanish).