A AQUISIÇÃO DAS NASAIS DO INGLÊS EM POSIÇÃO DE CODA POR FALANTES PARAIBANOS: UM OLHAR DA SOCIOLINGUÍSTICA VARIACIONISTA

Abstract

Researches investigating language variation in L2 have increased considerably in Brazil. However, the studies regarding nasals sounds still need to be more prominent. Linguists have discovered that variation takes place in interlanguage contexts similarly to L1 variation. (SAVILLE-TROIKE, 2006). For this reason, this study aims to investigate the role of L1 influence in the acquisition of such English consonants, and the factors that affect the variation of these segments in coda position. In English as first language, the variation of velar and alveolar nasals was the first one to be analyzed quantitatively (LABOV, 2001). In interlanguage context, one of the hypotheses to the variation in –ing words is the vowel epenthesis after the production of a non-existent velar stop [g], whereas another hypothesis points to the variation between the English velar nasal and the Brazilian Portuguese palatal nasal in coda position. The phenomenon analyzed in this research is the audible production of English nasals in coda position by Paraiba locals, and the variation observed here will be the non-audible production of nasals in syllable-final position, as well as the indistinctiveness in these consonants production. To verify this phenomenon, 12 participants from the state of Paraiba took part in this study (6 of them with na advanced proficiency level and other six ones with na elementary level of proficiency). The variables selected to be observed in this research are “Level of Proficiency”, “Phonological Awareness”, “Stress”, “Word Class”, “Number of Morphemes” and “Type of Instrument”. As for the results, all variables were selected as relevant to the production of the nasal consonants in syllable-final position.