Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In this study, we investigated the repair strategies applied to English word primary stress in the process of acquisition by native speakers of Brazilian Portuguese (BP). For this purpose, we used Connectionist Optimality Theory (henceforth, COT) by Bonilha (2004) as its theoretical basis. COT, beyond previewing constraint interaction, the interaction of different phonological levels (such as segment, syllable and stress) and constraints reranking in an L2 acquisition process, it also claims that constraints which are specific from the L2 may be acquired. Such restructuring process may be explained by an implemented gradual learning algorithm (BOERSMA & HAYES 2001) which constitutes a great advantage to acquisition data analysis. In the present study, we analyzed English stress acquisition in suffixed words, especially, the production of words whose suffixes carry the primary stress. In this last group, we observed the following suffixes: -oon, -eer, -ee, -ette, -esque, - ese, -ique, -et, -aire, -euse and -eur. Taking into account the process of constraint reranking, we intended to characterize interlanguage hierarchy evidenced by learners from the repair strategies they applied to deviant productions. For this aim, we used oral language data from sixteen informants, academics of Languages - English major from a Brazilian Southern university. Data collection consisted of two recordings of an instrument which contained 135 suffixed and non-suffixed words and 135 carrier-sentences. Afterwards, data were transcribed by auditory method and reviewed by two evaluators. The transcriptions were based on IPA. Data were statistically treated by Chi-Square test via Statistica 7.0 software. We could observe that, among the suffixes that present different behaviors concerning the stress of the primitive words, the ones which receive the primary stress were the least correctly produced, presenting around 50% of errors. Data also confirmed the trends indicated by studies on L2 acquisition that interlanguage systems show the militancy of L1 hierarchy of constraints. This is due to the predominance of the trochaic pattern as a repair strategy - around 50% of deviant productions, and, as argued by Bisol (1992), it is the stress pattern of BP. Concerning the suffixes that carry the primary stress, it seems that L2 vowel length, that may be the main element of stress attribution in words such as refugee and mountaineer, is not easily perceived/produced by BP native speakers, according to the findings by Nobre-Oliveira (2007). Taking into account the results, we understand that some specific constraints to vowel length were not ranked in learners interlanguage hierarchy yet. Also, we relate the phenomenon of the random production of such stress pattern to its low frequency in English lexicon. Thus, frequency seems to be one important factor for learners oral productions. In sum, we believe that such factors as a whole may be conspiring to the fact that informants productions are still deviant from the pattern of the target language. Finally, we argue that COT seems to be an important tool in order to describe and analyze L2 language acquisition data. / Neste estudo, investigamos as estratégias de reparo aplicadas ao padrão de acento primário do Inglês, no processo de aquisição, por falantes nativos de português brasileiro (PB). Para esse propósito, utilizamos a Teoria da Otimidade Conexionista (COT), a partir dos estudos de Bonilha (2004) como sua base teórica. A COT, além de prever a interação de restrições, a interação de diferentes níveis fonológicos (como segmental, silábico e acentual) e o reranqueamento no processo de aquisição de uma L2, também propõe que restrições específicas da L2 devam ser adquiridas. No presente estudo, analisamos a aquisição do acento do inglês em palavras sufixadas, especialmente, na produção de palavras cujo sufixo carrega o acento, como -oon, -eer, -ee, -ette, -esque, -ese, -ique, -et, - aire, -euse e -eur. Levando-se em consideração o processo de reranqueamento, intentamos caracterizar a hierarquia de interlíngua evidenciada pelas produções desviantes dos aprendizes a tal padrão. Com este objetivo, usamos dados de linguagem oral de dezesseis sujeitos, acadêmicos de Letras - habilitação Língua Inglesa de uma universidade do Sul do Brasil. Os dados consistiram de duas coletas, realizadas por meio de um instrumento que contém 135 palavras (entre sufixadas e nãosufixadas) e 135 frases-veículo. Em seguida, houve a transcrição fonética pelo método de oitiva e a revisão por dois avaliadores. As transcrições tiveram por base o Alfabeto Fonético Internacional (IPA). Os dados foram tratados estatisticamente com o teste Qui-quadrado via programa Statistica 7.0. Pudemos observar que, dentre os sufixos que apresentam comportamentos distintos, no que concerne ao acento da palavra primitiva, os sufixos que atraem o acento primário foram os que apresentaram o menor percentual de acertos, aproximadamente 50%. Os dados também confirmam as tendências, apontadas por outros estudos em aquisição de L2, de que os sistemas de interlíngua apresentam a militância da hierarquia de restrições da L1. Evidenciamos isso pelo predomínio do padrão acentual trocaico como estratégia de reparo, que responde por cerca de 50% dos tokens desviantes e, como argumenta Bisol (1992), o padrão trocaico é o predominante do PB. Com relação aos sufixos que atraem o acento primário, há evidências de que o prolongamento da vogal, que é o principal elemento considerado na atribuição de peso da sílaba e na atração do acento em palavras como refugee e mountaineer, não está sendo adquirido pelos falantes nativos de PB, conforme já aponta o estudo de Nobre-Oliveira (2007). Visto os dados de que dispomos nesta pesquisa, compreendemos que algumas restrições ligadas ao prolongamento e fidelidade da vogal acentuada, bem como algumas restrições de marcação, precisam ainda ser ranqueadas na hierarquia de interlíngua dos aprendizes. Também, relacionamos o fenômeno de atribuição flutuante do padrão oxítono sufixado a sua baixa frequência no léxico do Inglês. Assim, observamos que a frequência também parece desempenhar um importante papel nas produções orais dos sujeitos. Em suma, acreditamos que tais fatores devem conspirar para a emergência de produções desviantes ao padrão da língua alvo. Por fim, com este estudo, pudemos comprovar a validade dos presupostos da COT e tomá-la como um modelo linguístico pertinente à descrição e análise de dados de aquisição de L2.

Word stress is crucial for language perception and production as it enables lexical access and speech segmentation. Phonetically, word stress is cued through higher pitch, duration, and intensity. These cues are weighted differently in production and perception by language learners from different backgrounds. Slavic English learners, especially with a fixed-stress West Slavic language background like Czech but also with a variable-stress South Slavic background like Bulgarian face difficulties in word stress acquisition. Their stress placement errors cannot be fully explained by direct transfer and highlight a more complex relation between the target and the native language. This thesis thus aims to explore the perception and production of English word stress cues by speakers of Slavonic Englishes based on evidence from an EEG study on Slavic and German English word stress cue perception and a phonological and phonetic study on Czech English (CzE) features. These findings are used for the conceptualization of a perception and production training tool. First, the concepts of cue and feature are reviewed in an effort to bridge psycho- and sociolinguistics and create credible language stimuli. Then, the Event-Related Potentials study demonstrates that Slavic and German English speakers successfully process first- and second-syllable stress changes cued through pitch, duration, and intensity. Still, speakers of Slavic languages (with a rather syllable-timed rhythm) perceived first and second syllable stress similarly whereas speakers of German (with a rather stress-timed rhythm) perceived the second syllable deviation as more salient. A study on the role of word stress in the CzE feature inventory shows that syllable-timed rhythm also affects production, as speakers lack vowel reduction and add additional stress to longer words. Compared to Bulgarian English (BgE), CzE shows differences in stress features but an overall lack of consistency in their use to differentiate primary from secondary and unstressed syllables. These findings are integrated in the conceptualization of a High-Variability Phonetic Training (HVPT) system featuring segmentals and suprasegmentals. Overall, this thesis finds group differences in foreign language perception and production of word stress and applies them in the development of customized language learning solutions.:List of Figures ix List of Tables xiii List of Abbreviations xv Acknowledgements xvii 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Issue: Perception and production of English word stress cues 1 1.2 Language selection 5 1.3 Association 8 1.4 Research questions and outline 10 2 Background 13 2.1 Word stress 13 2.1.1 Assignment 17 2.1.2 Shifting 23 2.1.3 Rhythm 25 2.2 Word stress perception and production 26 2.2.1 Word stress cues and features 27 2.2.2 Sensitivity to word stress 30 2.2.3 Word stress acquisition 31 2.3 Methods for studying word stress perception and production 35 2.3.1 Behavioral methods 35 2.3.2 Psychophysiological methods 36 2.3.3 Phonological and phonetic methods 47 3 From Cues to Features 49 3.1 Introduction 50 3.2 The concepts of cue and feature in Psycho- and Sociolinguistics 51 3.2.1 Cue 51 3.2.2 Feature 55 3.2.3 From features to cues, from cues to features 59 3.3 The need for non-native experimental stimuli in Psycholinguistics 59 3.3.1 The validity of stimuli representing language cues and features in experimental designs 61 3.3.2 Mirroring features of non-native English 61 3.4 Considerations in the design of non-native experimental stimuli in Psycholinguistics 63 3.4.1 Methodological challenges 63 3.4.2 Using cues to represent features 64 3.5 Implications for TESOL 66 3.6 Conclusion 67 4 ERP Evidence for Slavic and German Word Stress Cue Sensitivity in English 69 4.1 Introduction 70 4.2 Materials and methods 78 4.2.1 Stimuli and paradigm 78 4.2.2 Participants 81 4.2.3 Experimental procedure 82 4.3 Results 84 4.4 Discussion 89 4.4.1 Slavic and German word stress sensitivity in English 89 4.4.2 Applications in language technologies and learning 97 4.5 Conclusion 98 5 Czech English Word Stress Features 101 5.1 Introduction 102 5.2 Methodology 105 5.2.1 Participants 105 5.2.2 Interview schedule 105 5.2.3 Transcription and data analysis 106 5.3 Results and Discussion 109 5.3.1 Czech English features 109 5.3.2 Word stress features 120 5.4 Applications 125 5.5 Conclusion 132 6 Training English Word Stress Perception and Production with Technology 135 6.1 Introduction 136 6.2 Background 137 6.2.1 Teaching word stress 137 6.2.2 Technology in word stress teaching 139 6.3 HVPT tool concept 141 6.4 Discussion 144 6.5 Conclusion 145 7 General Conclusion 147 7.1 Summary and conclusions 147 7.2 Contributions to the field 150 7.3 Limitations and outlook 153 References 157 A Appendix 189 A.1 Data availability 189 A.2 German summary 189 A.3 Supplementary materials 192 A.4 Eigenständigkeitserklärung 200