Communication accommodation theory in conversation with second language learners

• Main Author: Rahimian, Mahdi
• Other Authors: Hagiwara, Robert (Linguistics)
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: Communication accommodation theory; SLA; Linguistic categorization; Vowel duration; Formant; L2 acquisition; L1 acquisition; One-way task; Two-way task
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/22082

In this research, Communicative Accommodation Theory (CAT) is investigated while native speakers address nonnative peers. For the intentions of this research, three native speakers of Canadian English were asked to have conversations with native and nonnative peers. The conversations were in the form of giving directions on the map. Later on, the participants’ formants and vowel durations were measured and used for comparing native-nonnative peer effect(s) on the speakers’ vowel formants and duration. Based on the analyses, it is suggested that accommodation may take place based on providing stereotypical vowel durations and formants, as well as reducing inter-token variations in the nonnative peer context.