R.W.N.M. van Hout

Bio: R.W.N.M. van Hout is an academic researcher from Tilburg University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Vowel & Normalization (statistics). The author has an hindex of 10, co-authored 38 publications receiving 320 citations.

The Devoicing of Fricatives in Standard Dutch. A Real-time study based on radio recordings

Abstract: This article gives a detailed analysis of devoicing of the voiced fricatives /v/, /z/, /y/ in two varieties of Standard Dutch: Southern Standard Dutch (as spoken in Belgium) and Northern Standard Dutch (as spoken in The Netherlands). The study is based on archived recordings of radio broadcasts from 1935 to 1993. First, our study shows a divergence between Southern and Northern Standard Dutch in the pronunciation of voiced fricatives in this period. In The Netherlands there is a strong tendency towards devoicing, but in Belgium this tendency is very weak. Second, this study offers insight into the linguistic path of this change: partially voiced compromise variants play an important role, and devoicing is favored in word-initial position. Finally, our study shows the benefits of a retrospective trend study on the basis of radio recordings. In comparison with traditional real-time studies, it offers more insight into the social and linguistic embedding of changes in progress. Its results are also more reliable than those of apparent-time research.

The Pronunciation of (r) in Standard Dutch

Abstract: In the languages of the world the category of rhotics consists of a disperse set of sounds: trills, taps, flaps, fricatives and approximants, with varying places of articulation (alveolar, retroflex, uvular) (Ladefoged and Maddieson 1996; Walsh Dickey 1997). In Dutch, almost the complete range of /r/ sounds has been observed, even within the standard variety. In this paper we will discuss the pronunciation of Ivl in northern (spoken in the Netherlands) and southern (spoken in Flanders) standard Dutch. We focus on postvocalic /r/ as in this position more variation shows up (Vieregge and Broeders 1993:269). In this paper we aim to give insight into the patterns of realization of postvocalic Ivl in standard Dutch from the 1930s until now. This aim will be reached by giving an inventory of the different variants and their frequencies, by analyzing the underlying phonetic dimensions and by constructing a speaker typology on the basis of the clustering of variants. The paper is structured as follows. In section 2 a brief review of the observations in the literature is presented. In spite of its chameleontic nature, Dutch Ivl has hardly been studied by variationists. The design of our real time study of postvocalic Ivl is sketched in section 3. The results are presented in section 4. First, we give an overview of the variation found, both between speakers and within speakers. Next, we attempt to classify the variants found on more general phonetic dimensions instead of specific phonetic features. Finally, we try to classify the speakers by means of a cluster analysis on the basis of the (r) variants they use. The outcome is a typology of Dutch Ivl speakers. The conclusions are presented in section 5.

Dangerous aggregations: a case study of Dutch (n) deletion

Abstract: This paper focuses on the question which factors rule the variation patterns of (n) deletion in Dutch. A variable rule analysis seems to provide the requested list of strong and clear internal and extern al factors. It turns out, however, that the speakers need to be included in the analysis as a separate factor, not only to account for quantitative differences between speakers, but especially to account for inter action effects between linguistic factors and individual speakers. This result shows that it is wrong to assume as a standard that community grammars can be grasped by simply aggregating data over speakers. Variation studies must explicitly pay attention to the occurrence of interaction patterns between speakers and linguistic factors. In fact, many variation patterns may exist, just because of the presence of different ty pes of speakers, each having different grammars.

第二语言习得研究 = The study of second language acquisition

Abstract: Acknowledgements Introduction PART ONE - BACKGROUND Introduction 1. Second language acquisition research: an overview PART TWO - THE DESCRIPTION OF LEARNER LANGUAGE Introduction 2. Learner errors and error analysis 3. Developmental patterns: order and sequence in second language acquisition 4. Variability in learner language 5. Pragmatic aspects of learner language PART THREE - EXPLAINING SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION: EXTERNAL FACTORS Introduction 6. Social factors and second language acquisition 7. Input and interaction and second language acquisition PART FOUR - EXPLAINING SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION: INTERNAL FACTORS Introduction 8. Language transfer 9. Cognitive accounts of second language acquisition 10. Linguistic universals and second language acquisition PART FIVE - EXPLAINING INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION Introduction 11. Individual learner differences 12. Learning strategies PART SIX - CLASSROOM SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION Introduction 13. Classroom interaction and second language acquisition 14. Formal instruction and second language acquisition PART SEVEN - CONCLUSION Introduction 15. Data, theory, and applications in second language acquisition research Glossary Bibliography Author index Subject index

Language change across the lifespan: /r/ in Montreal French

Abstract: We address the articulation between language change in the historical sense and language change as experienced by individual speakers through a trend and panel study of the change from apical to dorsal /r/ in Montreal French. The community as a whole rapidly advanced its use of dorsal [R]. Most individual speakers followed across time were stable after the critical period, with phonological patterns set by the end of adolescence. A sizeable minority, however, made substantial changes. The window of opportunity for linguistic modification in later life may be expanded with rapid change in progress when linguistic variables take on social significance.