1. Accent Fossilization in Older Iranian Women in Canada
Yalda Ahmadvand

2. Introduction Aging is an unavoidable fact of human nature
Decline in physical abilities
The effect of age on learning new skills
Decline of abilities in second language learning, based on different presupposition
Younger language learners and success
Relationship between age of acquisition & eventual achievement (Brown, 2007)
Penfield and Roberts(1959)

3. Introduction Lenneberg’s Hypothesis (1967) Human’s cognitive structure
He cited the CPH (Penfield & Roberts,1959)
Difficulty of acquiring our first language after puberty, based on neuropsychological factors.
Age & success in second language learning
Younger learners vs. Older learners
Relationship between age & success in second language, linked to CPH

4. Critical Period Hypothesis
Biologically determined period of life
A period of time between birth & the age of puberty
Pronunciation vs. writing skills
It’s also known as Sensitive period hypothesis
Second language learners & level of competence in TL
Fossilized pronunciation

5. Fossilization Introduced by Selinker (1972)
Most adult second language learners never achieve native-like proficiency in the TL
Their pronunciation continues to interfere with their ability to communicate effectively
Despite years of language learning and experience with English
They may seem less fluent or less professional
Crucial issue: Fossilized accent might linger

6. Factors involve in developing clear pronunciation
Age
Native language
Length of time using English
Social pressure
Innate ability
Feedback on pronunciation
Attain the original identity

7. Length of residence and exposure
Used as a simple & direct measure of exposure to opportunities to learn the language
Immigrants who live in the country for longer period of time:
Higher level of overall proficiency in English
Or in some aspects of English
Higher frequency of using English than people who have been in the country for shorter period of time
Age at immigration associated with English proficiency in adulthood

8. Analysis of Iranian immigrants’ level of proficiency and accent
The age of arrival to Canada
Amount and type of exposure to Community
Importance of keeping their Iranian identity
Describe Iranian immigrants families

9. Iranian Immigrant Families
A multi-ethnic land (Kurd,Fars,Gilac,Turk, and Armanian)
Reasons for immigration
The USA, Canada, Australia, & Western Europe

10. Iranian Immigrant Families
Iranian minority, fastest growing immigrants categories
Sociolinguistics consequence
Prevent them from mixing with Canadian society, & communicating with Canadians
Community of Iranian Immigrant Women
Use of mother tongue, prevent from noticing their accent

11. The Significance of Accent
Existence of several hundreds mussels for articulation of human speech
(Throat, Larynx, Mouth, Lips, Tongue, ..)
Remarkable degree of muscular control
Evidence: After the age of puberty

12. This study evaluates:
The role of age and identity in learning a second language
And improving accent or pronunciation
Investigate why some older Iranian women in Canada cannot lose their accents
What exposure they have

13. Participants Thirty female native Iranian Women
Arrived between years old
At the time of testing ranges from 40-60
Length of residence is at least 8 years
Why Farsi, and Iranian?
Education
First exposure to English
Four MA, Ten college in Canada

14. Procedures Tested individually, single1 hour session
Diary about the strategies they used to improve their English learning
Noted about their experiences, insights, disappointments, and frustrations

15. Procedures Start : Language background questionnaire
Evaluate use of Farsi & English
Motivation to use English
How long they have lived in Canada?
How old they were?
Their social role (Work, study, Home)
Accent awareness, did something to improve?
Produced sentences to be rated for foreign accent, (recorded)

16. Raters Five native English speakers Tested for normal hearing
All experts in SLA
Trained before starting the procedure

17. Testing Repeated 19 English sentences (twice)
Six sets of tongue twisters
Examine the /θ/, /ð/, /s/, /v/, and /w/
Rating ranges between “very strong `accent”(1), to “no accent” (9)
Voices were recorded
Mean based on: 150 judgments (6 sentences, 5 listeners,5 duplicate judgments)
*interrater reliability was 84.2% (agreement =16/19 items)
A similar method has been used by Patkowski (1980)
Using Cohen’s Kappa, interrater reliability was 84.2% (agreement =16/19 items)

18. Instrumentations
The questionnaire (adapted from ethno linguistic questionnaire by Wharry,1993)
Contains 24 items
Translated to Farsi
Wharry (1993)

19. Results
Effect of age of arrival & length of residency in Canada in having a foreign accent:
Later the Iranian women had arrived in Canada, fewer years they have lived here
They have stronger foreign accent
This rating didn’t increase sharply
Those participants with an accent close to native accent came to Canada at younger age, or exposed to the language at younger age.

20. Correlation between Age of Arrival and foreign accent rating

21. Results The findings presented in figure 1 & 2 suggest:
The female Iranians’ degree of foreign accent did not increase sharply if they lived in Canada for shorter period of time
Or they arrived in Canada at older ages
There is not strong correlation between the first exposure to the language and degree of foreign accent

22. Correlation between Length of Residence and foreign accent rating

23. Results The findings show:
The more exposure they have to English speaking community (work, study), less noticeable accents they have.
One exception
Speakers with more native-like accent find it less difficult to communicate in English compare to those with stronger accent
The correlation between difficulty communicating is negatively related to foreign accent rating

24. Difficulty communicating and foreign accent rating

25. Results
Some problematic sounds for Iranians who want to learn English:
/θ/, /ð/, /s/, /v/, and /w/
Do not exist in Farsi
Remarkable degree of muscular control is required to achieve native like proficiency
It’s hard to achieve native like proficiency:
If these muscles are not adapted to articulate specific sounds until certain age, (age of puberty)

26. Results According to the questionnaire & diaries:
Twenty four of the participants were aware of their accents
Nineteen thought it’s important to improve their accents:
Gain confidence
Eliminate career barriers
Improve their professional image

27. Results Some didn’t want to lose their accents:
Unwillingness to assume another identity
Lack of confidence
Rejection of native like speech
“Might deceive people about their background and identity”
“Not telling the truth about herself”
“People perceive different things in terms of cultural & behavioral expectations”

28. Results Some thought they need to improve their accents because:
To be accepted in the target language society
Find better jobs
Accent prevents them from taken seriously
Face biases, and challenges
Suffer lost opportunities in a society
Native speakers fail to concentrate on the message

29. Discussion
Whether CPH exist, age should be considered as an important factor
Two outcomes of this study:
First, the participants’ strength of foreign accent in English grew stronger as their age of arrivals in Canada increased
Second, if they have more exposure to the language (work, study), they have less noticeable accents compare to those who stayed at home

30. Discussion
There are several factors that influence Second language learning:
Age as a key factor in language acquisition
Motivation
Attitude and personality
Dominance of the first language

31. Age as a key factor in language acquisition
Regarding the critical age for acquisition, acquiring native like pronunciation is achievable until the age of puberty
As Selinger suggests there might be multiple critical/sensitive period for different aspects of language
The period in which acquiring native accent is easier, seems to end sooner than the period leading to the acquisition of grammar
Selinger, 1978

32. Age as a key factor in language acquisition
There is a correlation between age and the ability to learn a new language
Adults who want to learn a new language, but don’t have enough knowledge about their second language, seem to fall back easier to their first language
Then no progress in the second language

33. Age as a key factor in language acquisition
The way the participants learned English in school prior to their arrival to Canada is not the efficient way to learn a new language
Krashen mentions the importance of participation in “meaningful interactions in the target language” to be able to acquire a new language.
Krashen (1988)

34. How motivation affects progress in language learning
Ones who work or study in Canada have less noticeable accent compare to those who stayed at home as a housewife
Learning a language to able to function at work/school is most likely an instrumental motivation
It also can be at least partly an integrative motivator
All participants have their personal interest to become integrated in to the new culture and the new way of living.

35. How motivation affects progress in language learning
All participants reported that they try to improve their ability to communicate in the new language
Being a housewife might involve fewer opportunities to participate in a meaningful interactions in target language.
Can not conclude being a housewife leads to be less motivated in learning a new language.

36. Attitude and Personality
Flexibility of personality
Self esteem, and capability to handle culture change
*All the participants in this study put an effort to assimilate into a new culture, and learn a new language
They didn’t find it difficult to adjust to a new culture
Assume they all have positive attitude towards integrating in to the new culture

37. Dominance of the first language
Some sound are difficult to learn depending on the learner’s nationality
Similarity of L1 sounds to L2 sounds make it more difficult to learn a new sound
At older ages L1 can be more dominating language compared to L2
Phonetic ability seems to fossilized earlier than the other linguistics skills*
*As we get older

38. Dominance of the first language
According to the questionnaire:
All participants in this study preserved their first language by using it frequently:
When meeting friends and relatives
Reading Persian books and magazines
Visiting their home country

39. How to improve fossilized accent
Pronunciation doesn’t receive enough academic attention as other aspects of SLA
It’s a great concern to many second language learners in Canada
Derwing(2003) found out 95% of immigrants would choose to speak like native speakers(if they could)
Foreign accent discrimination
Fossilization, natural & normal stage for many learners
Michael Long(2003) suggests stabilization instead of fossilization
It leaves open the possibility of change and improvements
Derwing (2003)
Michael Long (2003)

40. How to improve fossilized accent
Second language learners seem inflexible to necessary changes
Being successful entails:
Preparing learners to change
Encouraging them to make an actual effort to do so
Carefully analyzing their situation & resources

41. How to improve fossilized accent
The crucial element in employing a general strategy for dealing with fossilized accent is getting them prepared to make the considerable changes
Inform them how pronunciation, or more specifically intelligibility can be improved by techniques aimed at changing those other behaviors

42. Recommendations for teachers
Consider that speakers should have acceptable pronunciation
People should understand what they say
Speakers’ English is pleasant to listen to (comfortably intelligible)
Teachers should be well-trained
Provide precise feedback on segmentals and suprasegmentals problem
Suprasegmentals aspects of pronunciation are important to intelligibility
* Hahn, 2004; Munro& Derwing, 1995

43. Recommendations for teachers
Ensure to correct prosodic errors beside individual words
Focus on errors which have more effect on intelligibility (ex: sentence stress)
Hahn(2004) declares, sentence stress has significant effect on comprehensibility and intelligibility
Prosody: rhythm, stress, and intonation of speech
Hahn, 2004

44. Recommendations for teachers
Highlighting elements:
sounds, syllables, stress, and intonation
Encourage them to use intelligible pronunciation outside the classroom
Creating a stronger link between pronunciation and communication
Bringing pronunciation to a level of intelligibility
Learner’s awareness of his/her potential for making their language not only easier to understand, but more effective

45. Conclusion
This study investigated the correlation between age & accent fossilization
The other factors that can cause accent fossilization
How to improve fossilized accent
By analyzing the participants background information I realized:
Although age is a very important factor in SLA, there are other factors that can influence it

46. Conclusion Younger learners are probably more open to learn languages
But adults commitment to work and study in the new country is a strong motivator:
To engage in activities that promote the progress of the language acquisition
Finally, it is concluded that mastering a correct English accent & pronunciation in a second language is a skill that takes an unknown amount of time to obtain.