Research on phonetics

Introducing the language research laboratory

The Language Research Lab was established in 2015 by Prof. Ineke Mennen and is located at the Department of English Studies.

We are an active research group with an interest in experimental phonetics. Our lab is mainly used for research purposes by our team members and by BA or MA students collecting data for their phonetics theses. Occasionally, it is also used for teaching.

We carry out research projects in both basic and applied research, focusing in particular on Dr. Mennen's research interest, i.e. developing an understanding of the phonetic dimensions along which languages and language varieties differ systematically, how such differences are generated in speech production, assessed in speech perception, and acquired, lost or resolved in first or second language acquisition. We are particularly well known for our work on (bilingual) prosody.

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Equipment

Our facilities include a sound-attenuated recording booth, which is used for high-quality audio recordings, but can also be used for perceptual and psycholinguistic experiments. In addition, we have professional audio and articulation equipment (e.g. electropalatography to measure the contact between tongue and hard palate during articulation) as well as some desktop and laptop computers for conducting experiments and analyzing phonetic data. Some equipment can be used and borrowed by students conducting research.

Participation in experiments

We are often looking for people who would like to take part in our experiments. Under certain conditions, students can receive compensation or academic credit for their participation. Sometimes we also offer students the opportunity to actively participate in the design of experiments as part of a mentoring program.

Current publications

The following list provides an overview of the research topics we are working on:

Siddins, J. & Mennen, I. (2019 (forthcoming)). Pitch accent realization in Austrian German. In Proceedings of the 19th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences. Melbourne, Australia.

Lewendon, J., Foltz, A., & Thierry, G. (2018). Does stress close the language gate? Inhibition of unconscious L1 activation. Talk given at the 24th Annual AMLaP Conference, Berlin, Germany.

Foltz, A. (2018). Using prosody to predict upcoming referents: the role of recent exposure in the L1 and the L2. Invited talk at the Department of English, University of Klagenfurt, June 27, 2018.

Kornder, L. & Mennen, I. (2018 (forthcoming)). Arnold Schwarzenegger Now and Then: A longitudinal pilot investigation into Schwarzenegger's production of plosives in German and English. In Proceedings of the 14th Phonetik und Phonologie im deutschsprachigen Raum Conference (P&P), University of Vienna, September 6-7, 2018.

Mennen, I. & Chousi, D. (2018). Prosody in first-generation adult immigrants and second-generation heritage-language users: the timing of prenuclear rising accents. In Klessa, K., Bachan, J., Wagner, A., Karpínski, M. & Śledziński , D. (Eds.): Proceedings of the 9th Speech Prosody Conference, University of Poznan.

Alharbi, A., Foltz, A. & Mennen, I. (2017). The role of phonetic aptitude and language use in L2 prosodic acquisition. Paper presented at the 3rd Workshop on Second Language Prosody (SLaP3). University of Bangor, November 9-10, 2017.

Alharbi, A., Foltz, A. & Mennen, I. (2017). Asymmetries in L1 prosodic attrition in late English-Arabic and Arabic-English bilinguals. Paper presented at the workshop "The selectivity of native language attrition" (SiLA2017). University of Edinburgh, October 13-14, 2017.

Mayr, R., Morris, J., Mennen, I. & Williams, D. (2017). Disentangling the effects of long-term language contact and individual bilingualism: The case of monophthongs in Welsh and English. International Journal of Bilingualism, 21(3), 245-267.

Ordin, M. & Mennen, I. (2017). Cross-linguistic differences in bilinguals' fundamental frequency ranges. Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research, 60, 1493-1506.

Perepelytsia, V. & Mennen, I. (2017). Singing talent and second language pronunciation. Paper presented at the Österreichische Linguistiktagung. Alpen-Adria University, Klagenfurt, December 8 - 10, 2017.

Mennen, I., Mayr, R. & Morris, J. (2015). Influences of language contact and linguistic experience on the production of lexical stress in Welsh and Welsh English. Proceedings of the International Congress of Phonetic Sciences 2015, Glasgow; 08/2015.