[w] for [v] in the speech of Russians speaking English

[anne marie devlin]

What has been described here - phonological variation in the interlanguage system is a very common phenomenon and in general a well documented aspect of the process of second language acquisition. 
When learners acquire a new aspect - in this case the phoneme [w] - it is used variably within the language system before it becomes fixed in positions which are categorical for native speakers.  In other words speakers often start out using [v] instead of [w] in all cases. When [w] enters the system, use will vary in a seemingly random manner before 'settling' down. The distinction will eventually be made. 
It's important to remember that SLA isa process and even when an aspect enters the interlanguage it takes a long time before it's use becomes stable and native like.
Whilst I'm not aware of any studies of. this particular phenomenon it's worth noting that it's not just common to native Russian speakers. It's prevalent in the interlanguage of most native speakers of Slavic and Germanic languages.
AM

Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2013 23:46:06 -0400
From: frosset at WHEATONMA.EDU
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] [w] for [v] in the speech of Russians speaking English
To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.UA.EDU

On Tue, Sep 17, 2013 at 1:48 PM, Moss, Kevin M. <moss at middlebury.edu> wrote:

And I see the Slavists have inverted the usual mistake and twice now turned Mr. Chekov into the more familiar for us Mr. Chekhov!


Ooops, mea culpa there.
But you have to admit there's material a-plenty for confusion: Pavel Chekov vs. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov vs. an actor named Anton ...

-FR


-- 
Françoise Rosset
Chair, Russian and Russian Studies
Wheaton College, Norton MA 02766
office:     508-286-3696
FAX #:     508-286-3640
frosset at wheatonma.edu



-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                        http://seelangs.wix.com/seelangs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 		 	   		  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                        http://seelangs.wix.com/seelangs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/seelang/attachments/20130918/78008fc3/attachment.html>