36.2267, Reviews: English Prosody in First and Second Language Speakers: Karin McClellan (2024)

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LINGUIST List: Vol-36-2267. Sun Jul 27 2025. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 36.2267, Reviews: English Prosody in First and Second Language Speakers: Karin McClellan (2024)

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Date: 27-Jul-2025
From: Marjan Abbasian [marjan.abbasian66 at gmail.com]
Subject: Karin McClellan (2024)


Book announced at https://linguistlist.org/issues/36-124

Title: English Prosody in First and Second Language Speakers
Subtitle: A contrastive interlanguage analysis across intonational
dimensions
Series Title: Studies in Corpus Linguistics   120
Publication Year: 2024

Publisher: John Benjamins
           http://www.benjamins.com/
Book URL: https://benjamins.com/catalog/scl.120

Author(s): Karin McClellan

Reviewer: Marjan Abbasian

Author: Karin McClellan
Reviewer: Marjan Abbasian
Subject: English Prosody in First and Second Language Speakers
A contrastive interlanguage analysis across intonational dimensions
SUMMARY
Chapter One gives an overview of English prosody, emphasizing its
vital function in meaning conveying in both first and second
languages. It talks about the differences in prosody amongst speakers
and the difficulties faced by L2 learners as a result of prosody being
overlooked in English language teaching (ELT). The chapter examines
how learners from various L1 backgrounds (Czech, German, and Spanish)
approximate these varieties and highlights the necessity for a deeper
comprehension of the prosodic distinctions between British and
American English. Identifying prosodic deviances and creating a model
for L2 prosody are the main goals and research objectives of the
study, which also looks at extralinguistic elements that affect
prosody acquisition.
Chapter 2 explores the differences between first language (L1) and
second language (L2) prosody, focusing on two primary models of
intonational structure: the autosegmental-metrical (AM) approach and
the contour-based approach. The AM model is favored for its ability to
analyze both phonological and phonetic components of intonation. The
chapter reviews existing research on L2 prosody, highlighting gaps in
the literature, particularly regarding the analysis of various
prosodic features across different languages (Czech, German, Spanish,
and English). It details the common prosodic features, such as tonal
patterns and f0 range, and discusses how these features manifest
differently in L1 and L2 speech. The chapter concludes by predicting
that L2 speakers will exhibit intermediate prosodic features
influenced by their L1, with specific variances in pitch accent
placement, intonational phrasing, and the use of prosodic boundaries,
reflecting their L1 backgrounds and the challenges they face in
acquiring L2 prosody.
Chapter 3 details the data and methodology used in the study, focusing
on three interlanguage corpora of Czech, German, and Spanish learners
of English, alongside British and American English corpora as
controls. The learner corpora are sourced from the Louvain
International Database of Spoken English Interlanguage (LINDSEI) and
consist of recordings that capture various speaking tasks. Selection
criteria for the recordings ensured high audio quality and fluency,
resulting in a final corpus of 225 speakers and 317 files. The chapter
outlines the annotation process, which employed a modified ToBI system
to analyze prosodic features, including intonational phrasing, tones,
f0 range, and uptalk. It emphasizes the importance of inter-rater
reliability in annotations and discusses the limitations of the
datasets, including the absence of L1 recordings for comparison and
variances in speaker familiarity during interviews. Overall, the
chapter lays the groundwork for the empirical analysis of prosodic
features across different language backgrounds.
Chapter 4 analyzes the prosodic features of tones and tunes in both
first language (L1) and second language (L2) speech, focusing on
differences among Czech, German, Spanish, British, and American
English speakers. It predicts that L2 speakers will exhibit distinct
patterns in pitch accent types, phrase accents, and boundary tones,
with findings showing that L2 speakers tend to produce more high pitch
accents but fewer low ones compared to L1 speakers. The chapter also
discusses intonational phrasing, revealing that L2 speakers typically
produce shorter and more frequent intonation units (IUs) due to lower
fluency levels. Statistical analyses indicate that L2 speech generally
features a narrower f0 range and higher f0 levels across various
tunes, with significant variability in pitch accent frequency and
realizations. Additionally, the chapter highlights the phenomenon of
uptalk, observing that L2 speakers often use it more frequently than
L1 speakers, contributing to the perception of their speech as
foreign. Overall, the results emphasize the impact of language
background on prosodic production and suggest areas for further
research into cross-linguistic prosody.
Chapter 5 discusses the results of the study, focusing on the
differences in tones and tunes between L1 and L2 speech. It highlights
that L2 speakers demonstrate significant variation in pitch accent
usage, favoring high-register tunes (HH- and LH-) more than L1
speakers, particularly in specific contexts. The chapter distinguishes
between tones and tunes in L1 speech, noting that L1 speakers
predominantly use HL-tunes for various pragmatic functions, while L2
speakers show a tendency to produce more varied pitch accents.
The analysis of intonational phrasing reveals that L2 speakers
generally produce longer, less fluent utterances with more filled
pauses compared to L1 speakers. The findings indicate that L2 speakers
often use uptalk as a pragmatic tool for clarity and engagement,
although its frequent use can signal uncertainty. Gender differences
in uptalk usage were noted, with female speakers more likely to use it
to maintain conversational flow.
The chapter concludes by affirming that L2 prosody is influenced by
both cross-linguistic factors and individual proficiency levels. It
emphasizes the need for tailored teaching approaches in English
Language Teaching (ELT) that address these prosodic features,
suggesting that teachers should focus on the nuances of intonation and
pragmatic markers to enhance communicative competence among learners.
Future research directions include exploring the perception of prosody
in L1 and L2 speech and the development of more effective teaching
methods for prosody in language education.
EVALUATION
The authors have effectively achieved their goals of exploring and
analyzing prosody in both first and second language contexts,
providing clear insights and practical implications for English
Language Teaching (ELT). The book is particularly well-suited for
linguists and educators interested in the nuances of intonation and
its impact on communication. However, it may be less beneficial for
casual language learners who seek more foundational knowledge without
the depth of empirical analysis.
Contextually, the volume fits well within the existing literature on
prosody, expanding upon previous research while offering new empirical
data that enriches our understanding of intonational features across
various English varieties. The organization of the book demonstrates
strong coherence, with each chapter building upon the last to create a
unified narrative that enhances the reader's comprehension of the
subject.
Moreover, this work opens avenues for future research, particularly in
exploring the perception of prosody by L1 and L2 speakers and the
integration of prosodic training in language curricula. The detailed
statistical analyses and practical recommendations provide a solid
foundation for subsequent empirical studies.
Overall, the evaluation highlights that the authors' explicit focus on
prosody's role in language acquisition and teaching not only meets
their objectives but also sets the stage for further exploration in
this critical area of linguistic study. The concrete examples and data
presented throughout the book effectively illustrate the authors'
points, making their arguments both clear and compelling.
REFERENCES
Brazil, D., Coulthard, M., & Johns, C. (1980). Discourse intonation
and language teaching. Longman.
Cutler, A., Dahan, D., & van Donselaar, W. (1997). Prosody in the
comprehension of spoken language: A literature review. Language and
Speech, 40(2), 141-201.
Derwing, T. M., & Munro, M. J. (2005). Second language accent and
pronunciation teaching: A research-based approach. TESOL Quarterly,
39(3), 379-397.
Götz, S. (2013). The prosody of advanced L2 learners: Exploring the
relationship between acoustic measurements and native speaker
judgements (Doctoral dissertation, University of Giessen).
Ladd, D. R. (2008). Intonational phonology (2nd ed.). Cambridge
University Press.
Levon, E. (2018). [Search for the specific title discussing the social
meaning of rising intonation.]
Mennen, I. (2015). Beyond segments: Towards an L2 intonation learning
theory. In Prosody and language in contact: L2 acquisition, attrition
and languages in contact (pp. 171-188). Springer.
Ulbrich, M. (2008). [Search for the specific article on intonation in
Belfast English.]
ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Marjan Abbasian is a PhD student in English Language Teaching (ELT)
with a focus on linguistics. Her research interests include prosody,
second language acquisition, and the pedagogical implications of
intonation in language learning. With a background in applied
linguistics, she explores how prosodic features affect communication
and comprehension in both first and second language contexts, aiming
to enhance teaching practices in ELT.



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