The process of generation and development of second language Japanese accentuation

Abstract

This study will investigate how non-native speakers of Japanese acquire Japanese accentuation from the viewpoint of the location of the accent nucleus. Hypothetical models for the process of generation and for developmental sequence of interlanguage Japanese accentuation, which is interim accentual system created by learners, will be proposed. The subjects appear to generate their interlanguage as the results of application of strategies or examples of accentuation. Those seem to be discovered from L2 input, or chosen and fetch from their memory. The subjects’ competence of accentuation appear to be developed by L2 input, starting with L1 and universal property. They seem to discover and apply 5 types of strategies toward acquisition of target accentual rules of Japanese.