Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

College/School

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department/Program

Linguistics

Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair

Jonathan Howell

Committee Member

Sita Carraturo

Committee Member

Fernando Naiditch

Abstract

Previous research has shown that second language vowel acquisition is influenced by linguistic and experiential factors, particularly for contrasts that do not exist in the learner’s first language. The present study investigated the acquisition of English vowel contrasts by Brazilian Portuguese speakers in a naturalistic immersion context, focusing on the /ɛ–æ/ and /i–ɪ/ contrasts. A total of N = 11 Brazilian au pairs or former au pairs living in the United States participated in the study. Data were collected through a quasi-longitudinal framework with pre-arrival and post-arrival speech recordings, a perception task, and a social background questionnaire. Production was analyzed acoustically using formant values (F1 and F2), and vowel distances were calculated to measure the degree of contrast between vowels. The study also examined the role of social variables, including prior English training, length of residence, interaction with host families, friendships, and romantic relationships with native speakers. Results showed no statistically significant improvement in vowel production at the group level. However, substantial individual variation was observed, with some participants improving while others did not. The relationship between perception and production was weak and inconsistent across contrasts. Social variables showed mixed effects, with no single factor reliably predicting improvement, although romantic relationships with native speakers showed a more noticeable effect for one contrast. These findings suggest that the acquisition of English vowel contrasts is complex, non-linear, and influenced by multiple interacting factors, supporting current models of second language phonological development that emphasize variability and the role of both linguistic and social experience.

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