Foneettisten piirteiden ja vieraan aksentin yhteydestä suomen kielessä
The connection between phonetic features and foreign accent in Finnish

Summary/Abstract: Te aim of this case study is to research the connection between phonetic features and perception of foreign accent in Finnish. Te phenomenon is analyzed with a listener test, acoustic measurements and auditory observations by the researchers. Te speakers are very advanced L2 speakers of Finnish. Te results are compared regarding certain phonetic features. These features are distances between long vowels, sound and syllable durations, pitch (f0) range, mean absolute slope and standard deviation for f0, and articulation speed. Te results give new information not only on the perception of foreign accent but also on the pronunciation of advanced L2 learners of Finnish and their L2 learning paths. From the results we can conclude that all the features have an impact on foreign accent and all the features distinguish L1 and L2 speakers from each other to some extent. Te category of native-likeness forms a continuum where L1-Finnish native speakers, bilingual Finland-Swedish speakers and L2-speakers who have learned Finnish after puberty take different positions. Te effect on accent seems to be clearer for vowel distances and deviations in duration than for f0 features and articulation speed. Differences in vowel distances made a moderate distinction between the L2 speakers, and this feature seems, therefore, to be a promising measure for native-likeness among L2 speakers. Te effects of vowel distances on perceived accent should, however, be examined in further studies with larger speech material and different methods. Results on vowel distances imply that native-like sound qualities are difficult to attain even for very highly advanced L2 speakers. When comparing the results with earlier studies, our observations are alike: deviations in the quality of individual sounds and deviations in sound duration have the most obvious connection to perception of foreign accent.

• Details
• Contents