Date of Graduation

Summer 2015

Degree

Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Department

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Committee Chair

Shurita Thomas-Tate

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to address variability in consonant allophonic variations in Spanish-English bilingual adults, specifically native and heritage Spanish speakers. Participants (n= 25) were given three tasks: a demographic interview/questionnaire, a spoken word-list, and the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation –Second Edition. The study aimed to answer whether there were differences in consonant allophonic variations produced during a formal assessment, a researcher developed tool that targets only known consonant variations (word-list task), and if demographic information could be used to predict trends. Results indicated that within the sample, there were statistically significant differences between native and heritage Spanish speakers in both the formal assessment and the researcher developed assessment. However, the only demographic information that indicated any trends was age of English acquisition (e.g. people that learned English at a later age were more likely to produce allophonic variations during the tasks presented). Results from this study may aid speech-language pathologists improve and create future speech assessment tools for culturally and linguistically diverse populations.

Keywords

allophonic variations, native Spanish speakers, heritage Spanish speakers, bilingualism, second language acquisition

Subject Categories

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Copyright

© Jennica Enriquez

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