Blackfoot (Siksika), an Algonquian language spoken in Southern Alberta and in Northwestern Montana, is claimed to have a pitch-accent system (Frantz 1991). However, no complete analysis of the Blackfoot word accent system is available in the literature. This thesis examines Blackfoot nominal accent by means of metrical analysis (Halle and Vergnaud 1987) in Optimality Theory (OT) (Prince and Smolensky 1993). All of the data in this thesis are elicited from native speakers of Blackfoot. Regardless of noun type, every word contains one and only one pitch peak. Bare nouns (mono-morphemic nouns) and relational nouns (dependent nouns) show that Blackfoot has a mixed predictable and lexical accent system. Accent is quantity-sensitive, i.e. a heavy syllable attracts accent, while in nouns which contain no heavy syllable or more than one heavy syllable, it is lexically specified. An interesting contrast is found in long vowels - they contrast a high-level pitch, a falling pitch, and a rising pitch. Derived nouns (compounds) demonstrate four kinds of accent patterns, depending on the status (free vs. bound) and the accentual property (accented vs. unaccented) of morphemes. The leftmost accent of the compound members is retained, but the accent shifts to the juncture of them if it is word-final. If compound members are unaccented, the accent is assigned to word-final position by default. Speaker variation also occurs. One speaker systematically changes vowel length depending on the type of accented syllable, while the other speaker shows a wide variety of accent patterns. This thesis concludes that all the accent patterns can be accounted for by a single ranking of constraints in an OT analysis, in spite of the fact that the accent system is both lexical and predictable. Addition of constraints is needed specifically for compounds! Speaker variation is accounted for by reranking the same set of constraints. Priority is given to constraints that refer to the predictable accent in the grammar of one speaker. The lexical information is more respected in the other speaker's grammar. In addition to the analysis of general pitch-accent patterns, four types of irregular patterns are examined. The conclusions reached in this thesis demonstrate that the accent system interacts with other phonological properties of Blackfoot.

The overall purpose of this study is to analyze the acquisition of English word-stress by Arabic speakers in light of advancements in Optimality Theory. It has been reported that Arab second language learners of English have difficulty in acquiring the various patterns of English word stress. According to OT, the reason for this difficulty is that although these speakers, like native speakers, have full command of the universal and violable constraints that are operative in determining where stress falls in the word, they fail to capture or induce the exact ordering of these constraints. The basic premise of OT is that each grammar is a unique way of ordering the set of universal and violable constraints that determine the actual output form of a certain linguistic feature, say word-stress in this case. In other words, whereas Arabic word-stress and English word-stress are both subject to the same set of universal and violable constraints, they differ in one respect: the ordering of these constraints. The sole task of the learner then is to capture the correct ordering that determines which syllable in each word carries main stress.This study consists of four chapters. In chapter one, we introduce the problem of the study and the basic background information for an OT analysis, the task we undertake for word stress in subsequent chapters. Chapter two reviews word-stress placement in three competing models: linear approach (Chomsky and Halle 1968), nonlinear approach (Liberman and Prince 1977; McCarthy 1979; Hayes 1980, 1982, 1991), and finally Optimality Theory (Prince and Smolensky 1993; McCarthy and Prince 1993a, b). In chapter three, we introduce the set of constraints that are relevant for predicting the place of stress, not just in English and Arabic, but in all languages. Hence, these constraints are literally present in all languages, though their ranking is language-specific. Then, we develop a ranking of the set of constraints particular to Arabic and another one particular to English. In chapter four, we set out to compare the two constraint rankings in order to (1) predict stress errors in the interlanguage of native speakers of Arabic when learning English, and (2) demonstrate how, by making use of the notion of constraint demotion, those learners can make their English more native-like with respect to stress placement.This study has diverted from a standard OT analysis in at least two ways. First, we allow for some alignment constraint (namely MAIN-RIGHT) to be interpreted as a nongradient constraint. Second, we allow for constraint parameterization. NONFINAL is parameterized to account for Arabic word stress; and WSP is parameterized to account for English word stress.This study has shown that there are significant differences between Arabic and English as far as the ranking of the universal and violable constraints is concerned. Among the major differences are the following. (1) WSP is irrelevant for stress placement in Arabic. (2) Arabic requires that FOOT-BINARITY be interpreted under a moraic analysis, but English requires it to be interpreted under a syllabic analysis. (3) Arabic requires constructing metrical feet from left to right (i.e. ALL-FEET-LEFT >> ALL-FEET RIGHT), English require that it be the other way around (i.e. ALL-FEETRIGHT >> ALL-FEET-LEFT). (4) In. ploysyllabic words, whereas a final syllable that weighs two or more moras is parsed in English, only a final syllable that weighs three moras is parsed in Arabic. (5) Arabic requires that PARSEσ dominates FOOTBINARITY, but English requires the opposite ranking.

Blackfoot (Siksika), an Algonquian language spoken in Southern Alberta and in Northwestern Montana, is claimed to have a pitch-accent system (Frantz 1991). However, no complete analysis of the Blackfoot word accent system is available in the literature. This thesis examines Blackfoot nominal accent by means of metrical analysis (Halle and Vergnaud 1987) in Optimality Theory (OT) (Prince and Smolensky 1993). All of the data in this thesis are elicited from native speakers of Blackfoot. Regardless of noun type, every word contains one and only one pitch peak. Bare nouns (mono-morphemic nouns) and relational nouns (dependent nouns) show that Blackfoot has a mixed predictable and lexical accent system. Accent is quantity-sensitive, i.e. a heavy syllable attracts accent, while in nouns which contain no heavy syllable or more than one heavy syllable, it is lexically specified. An interesting contrast is found in long vowels - they contrast a high-level pitch, a falling pitch, and a rising pitch. Derived nouns (compounds) demonstrate four kinds of accent patterns, depending on the status (free vs. bound) and the accentual property (accented vs. unaccented) of morphemes. The leftmost accent of the compound members is retained, but the accent shifts to the juncture of them if it is word-final. If compound members are unaccented, the accent is assigned to word-final position by default. Speaker variation also occurs. One speaker systematically changes vowel length depending on the type of accented syllable, while the other speaker shows a wide variety of accent patterns. This thesis concludes that all the accent patterns can be accounted for by a single ranking of constraints in an OT analysis, in spite of the fact that the accent system is both lexical and predictable. Addition of constraints is needed specifically for compounds! Speaker variation is accounted for by reranking the same set of constraints. Priority is given to constraints that refer to the predictable accent in the grammar of one speaker. The lexical information is more respected in the other speaker's grammar. In addition to the analysis of general pitch-accent patterns, four types of irregular patterns are examined. The conclusions reached in this thesis demonstrate that the accent system interacts with other phonological properties of Blackfoot. / Arts, Faculty of / Linguistics, Department of / Graduate

Thesis. 1975. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Foreign Literatures and Linguistics. / Vita. / Bibliography: leaves 246-247. / Ph.D.

Thesis. 1975. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Foreign Literatures and Linguistics. / Bibliography: leaves 318-319. / Ph.D.

Lai Wing-sze. / Thesis submitted in: August 2004. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 233-237). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.iii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Rational and Significance --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Scope of analysis --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Organization --- p.4 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Background --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1 --- Comparison of Cantonese and English consonants --- p.6 / Chapter 2.2 --- Comparison of Cantonese and English vowels --- p.8 / Chapter 2.3 --- Comparison of Cantonese and English syllables --- p.9 / Chapter 2.4 --- Comparison of Cantonese and English autosegments --- p.12 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Literature Review --- p.18 / Chapter 3.1 --- Tone assignment in Cantonese loanwords --- p.18 / Chapter 3.2 --- Relationship between tone and stress --- p.27 / Chapter 3.3 --- Research Questions --- p.31 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Methodology --- p.32 / Chapter 4.1 --- Data Collection and Classification --- p.32 / Chapter 4.2 --- Loanword Verification Task --- p.48 / Chapter 4.3 --- Loanword Creation Task --- p.51 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Investigation of Tonal Patterns --- p.55 / Chapter 5.1 --- Monosyllabic Loanwords --- p.55 / Chapter 5.2 --- Disyllabic Loanwords --- p.59 / Chapter 5.3 --- Summary of Tonal Patterns in Monosyllabic and Disyllabic Loanwords --- p.81 / Chapter 5.4 --- Loanwords with more than two syllables --- p.81 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Further Evidence on Tonal Patterns --- p.92 / Chapter 6.1 --- Results of Loanword Verification Task --- p.92 / Chapter 6.2 --- Results of Loanword Creation Task --- p.103 / Chapter 6.3 --- Tonal Assignment by New Generation --- p.115 / Chapter Chapter 7 --- Constraints and Rankings in Tone Assignment in Loanwords --- p.116 / Chapter 7.1 --- OT Concepts and Mechanisms --- p.116 / Chapter 7.2 --- Tonal Features --- p.120 / Chapter 7.3 --- My Proposed Account --- p.129 / Chapter 7.4 --- Constraints and Rankings --- p.132 / Chapter 7.5 --- Summary --- p.145 / Chapter Chapter 8 --- Conclusion and Implication --- p.147 / Appendices --- p.150 / Appendix I All collected Loanword Data --- p.150 / Appendix II Eliminated Loanword Data --- p.164 / Appendix III Kept Loanword Data --- p.168 / Appendix IV Initial Loanword Classification --- p.181 / Appendix V Loanword Questionnaire A --- p.198 / Appendix VI Loanword Questionnaire A Script --- p.201 / Appendix VII Loanword Questionnaire B --- p.203 / Appendix VIII More Examples of σ→ σ55 --- p.207 / Appendix IX More Examples of 'σσ --- p.209 / Appendix X More Examples of'σ[ --- p.214 / Appendix XI More Examples of ['σ --- p.217 / Appendix XII Disyllabic Loanwords with Atypical Tonal Patterns --- p.218 / Appendix XIII Disyllabic Loanwords with Other Tonal Influences --- p.220 / Appendix XIV Trisyllabic Loanwords with Atypical Tonal Patterns --- p.222 / Appendix XV Results of Loanword Creation Task --- p.224 / References --- p.233

Second language acquisition research has sought to identify socio-psychological factors underlying language learners' degrees and rates of acquisition. Studies have shown that learners with autonomous motivation orientations and positive attitudes towards the L2 community (Donitsa-Schmidt et. al., 2004; Schumann, 1978; Spolsky, 2000) acquire the target language better than those without such orientations and attitudes. This study utilizes social network theory (Milroy, 1987), identity theory (LePage & Tabouret Keller, 1985; van Dijk, 1998) and self determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1987) to explore how L2 learners' socially constructed identities, external, introjection, identification and integration motivational orientations, and exchange, interactive, and passive family and non-family networks relate to the attainment of the regional Turkish accent by young Kurds. Using a cross-sectional research design, this study addresses the following questions: (1) How native-like is the participant's accent when speaking Turkish as rated on a 1-5 scale? (2) What are the identity patterns found in the Kurdish-speaking community, and how do these patterns relate to their Turkish accent? (3) Do different motivational orientations significantly relate to attainment of native-like accents? (4) What are the social networks of the Kurdish-speaking community, and how do these networks relate to accent native-likeness? Data collected from 120 middle and high school students included speech samples from a read-aloud accent test and four questionnaires regarding their motivation to learn Turkish, their identification patterns, and social networks. Global accent ratings revealed significant degrees of variation in participants' accents varying from 1.1 to 4.7. Findings suggested that the degree of identification with the Turkish-speaking community was a positive predictor (.31, p < 0.01), and the degree of identification with the Kurdish-speaking community was a negative predictor (-.34 p < 0.01) of accent native-likeness. Data also showed that among four motivational orientations, integration orientation was a positive (.32, p < 0.01), and introjection was a negative (-.20; p < 0.01) predictor of accent nativelikeness. Results indicated that participants with a more native-like accent also had more Turkish-speaking family and non-family networks that were exchange and multiplex in nature than the networks of those participants with less native-like accents. Results also suggested several significant gender and age effects. / text

Thesis (MPhil (General Linguistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is interested in the relationship between accent and hearers’ perception of the speaker. It investigates the kinds of stereotypes related to phonological features of the speaker’s language. Specifically this thesis focused on the perceptions that high school girls have of their Mathematics teachers who speak English with a non-standard accent. The general aims of the study were to establish whether high school girls perceived non-standard English speaking Mathematics teachers negatively and, if so, whether this perception changed as the girls mature. Twenty-seven Grade 8 learners and 14 Grade 12 learners from a private English-medium school in the Gauteng Province of South Africa participated in this study. The school attracts learners from the affluent socio-economic group, and the majority of the learners are white (76.8%) and first language speakers of English (86%). These participants completed questionnaires using the matched-guise technique (Lambert, Hodgson, Gardner and Fillenbaum 1960) to determine their perceptions of six accents. Five speakers were recorded reading the same Mathematics lesson in English. One reader read the same passage twice, using a so-called Standard South African English accent for one recording and a second language accent of an isiZulu mother tongue speaker for the second recording. The results of this investigation indicate that high school girls are inclined to stereotype teachers according to the teachers’ accents. Some of the characteristics attributed to the non-standard English speaking teachers were positive, but generally learners held a negative perception of such teachers. There was very little change in this perception from Grade 8 to Grade 12. Of particular importance in the National Curriculum Statement for Grades 10 to 12 is that learners emerge from this phase of their schooling being “sensitive to issues of diversity such as poverty, inequality, race, gender, language, age, disability and other factors” (www.sabceducation.co.za/). The school where the research was conducted has addressed diversity in numerous ways in an attempt to prepare the learners for life in multilingual and multicultural South Africa. That the Grade 12 learners in this study, whether first language speakers of English or not, still display accent prejudice suggests that the life skills objectives are not adequately met and that this form of prejudice needs to be addressed in more creative ways. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:: Hierdie studie stel belang in die verhouding tussen aksent en hoorders se waarneming van die spreker. Dit ondersoek die soort stereotipering wat saamhang met die fonologiese eienskappe van die spreker se taal. Hierdie tesis het spesifiek gefokus op die persepsies wat hoërskoolmeisies het van hul Wiskunde-opvoeders wat Engels met ‘n nie-standaard aksent praat. Die algemene doelstellings van die studie was om vas te stel of hoërskoolmeisies hierdie opvoeders negatief beoordeel op grond van hul aksent en, indien wel, of hierdie oordeel minder fel raak met ouerdom. Sewe-en-twintig Graad 8-leerders en 14 Graad 12-leerders aan ‘n privaat- Engels-medium skool in die Gauteng Provinsie van Suid-Afrika het aan die studie deelgeneem. Die skool se leerders kom uit die hoë sosio-ekonomiese groep, en die meerderheid is Wit (76.8%) en eerstetaalsprekers van Engels (86%). Die deelnemers het vraelyste voltooi as deel van sogenaamde “matched guise”- (Lambert, Hodgson, Gardner en Fillenbaum 1960) navorsing om hul persepsies van ses aksente te bepaal. Vyf sprekers is op band opgeneem terwyl hulle dieselfde Wiskunde-les in Engels lees. Een leser het die les twee maal gelees, een maal met ’n sogenaamde Standaard Suid-Afrikaanse Engelse aksent en een maal met ’n tweedetaal aksent tipies van ‘n isiZulu moedertaalspreker. Die resultate van hierdie ondersoek dui daarop dat hoërskoolmeisies geneig is om opvoeders te stereotipeer op grond van die opvoeders se aksent. Party eienskappe wat aan die nie-standaard Engelssprekende opvoeders toegeskryf is, was positief, maar oor die algemeen het leerders ’n negatiewe persepsie van sulke opvoeders gehad. Baie min verandering in hierdie persepsies het van Graad 8 tot Graad 12 plaasgevind. Van besondere belang in die Graad 10 tot 12 Nasionale Kurrikulm is dat leerders aan die einde van hierdie fase ‘n sensitiwiteit sal hê vir kwessies aangaande “diversiteit, soos armoede, ongelykheid, ras, geslag, taal, ouderdom, gestremdheid en ander faktore” (www.sabceducation.co.za/). Die skool waar hierdie navorsing gedoen is, spreek diversiteit op velerlei maniere aan in ’n poging om leerders voor te berei vir lewe in veeltalige en multikulturele Suid-Afrika. Die feit dat Graad 12- leerders in hierdie studie, of hulle eerstetaalsprekers van Engels is al dan nie, steeds aksentvooroordele toon, dui aan dat die doelstellings van lewensvaardigheid onderrig nie voldoende bereik word nie en dat hierdie vorm van vooroordeel op meer kreatiewe maniere aangespreek moet word.

Thesis. 1976. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. / Microfiche copy available in Archives and Engineering. / Vita. / Bibliography: leaves 403-416. / Ph.D.

Thesis. 1975. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Foreign Literatures and Linguistics. / Vita. / Bibliography: leaves 454-462. / Ph.D.