A Synthesis of Research on Speech Rhythm in Native, Learner and Second Language Varieties of English—Introduction to the Volume

Abstract

This chapter critically discusses recent research on speech rhythm in native, learner and second language varieties of English. Impressionistic descriptions have often claimed that Second Language or ‘Outer Circle’ varieties of English are syllable-timed, in contrast to the stress-timed rhythm of Native or ‘Inner Circle’ varieties of English. With a view to the reconceptualisation of speech rhythm as a continuum between stress- and syllable-timing, this claim can be rephrased as Second Language (or Outer Circle) varieties of English being more syllable-timed than Native (or Inner Circle) varieties of English. In a synthesis of recent empirical research, results from 18 studies are compared. Overall, the claim of a tendency towards syllable-timing can be confirmed not only for Outer Circle Englishes, but also, more tentatively, for Learner or ‘Expanding Circle’ varieties of English. However, several caveats are needed to qualify these conclusions, relating to the selection of varieties of English studied by recent research and the methodologies employed in the field. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how the subsequent chapters in the volume contribute towards addressing these concerns and thus advance the study of speech rhythm in native, learner and second language varieties of English.

Appendix

Variety label	Variety long name	Circle	nPVIV	Source
AmE [Behrmann]	American English	Inner	51	Behrman et al. (2019)
AmE [Choe]	American English	Inner	66	Choe (2019)
AmE [Ding]	American English	Inner	69.48	Ding et al. (2020)
AmE [Li&Post]	American English	Inner	51.9	Li and Post (2014)
AmE [Liu&Takeda]	American English	Inner	64.8	Liu and Takeda (2021)
AusE [Kawase]	Australian English	Inner	72	Kawase et al. (2016)
AusE [Nguyen]	Australian English	Inner	57	Nguyen (2018)
BrE [Ding&Xu]	British English	Inner	66.74	Ding and Xu (2016)
BrE [Fuchs 2016]	British English	Inner	61.3	Fuchs (2016)
BrE [Fuchs in press]	British English	Inner	62.2	Fuchs (in press)
BrE [Low]	British English	Inner	78	Low et al. (2000)
BrE [White]	British English	Inner	73	White and Mattys (2007)
BristolE	Bristol English	Inner	41	White et al. (2007)
Dutch	Dutch	Other	82	White and Mattys (2007)
French	French	Other	50	White and Mattys (2007)
GermanE (high prof.)	German English	Expanding	45.5	Li and Post (2014)
GermanE (lower interm. prof.)	German English	Expanding	40.1	Li and Post (2014)
HKE (high prof.) [Law]	Hong Kong English	Outer	49.37	Law et al. (2020)
HKE (low prof.) [Law]	Hong Kong English	Outer	43.53	Law et al. (2020)
HKE [Setter]	Hong Kong English	Outer	53.5	Setter (pc), cited in Fuchs (2016: 88–90)
IndE	Indian English	Outer	55.6	Fuchs (2016)
JapE	Japanese English	Expanding	56.3	Liu and Takeda (2021)
JapE (exp.)	Japanese English	Expanding	57	Kawase et al. (2016)
JapE (inexp.)	Japanese English	Expanding	50	Kawase et al. (2016)
KorE	Korean English	Expanding	56	Choe (2019)
KorE (beginners)	Korean English	Expanding	51.3	White and Mattys (2007)
KorE (post-intervention)	Korean English	Expanding	52.22	Choe (2022)
KorE (pre-intervention)	Korean English	Expanding	54.68	Choe (2022)
Mandarin Chinese	Mandarin Chinese	Other	48.2	Ding and Xu (2016)
MandarinE (high prof.)	Mandarin English	Expanding	50.6	Li and Post (2014)
MandarinE (low/interm. prof.)	Mandarin English	Expanding	40.3	Li and Post (2014)
MandarinE [Ding&Xu]	Mandarin English	Expanding	48.81	Ding and Xu (2016)
MandarinE [Liu&Takeda]	Mandarin English	Expanding	59.07	Liu and Takeda (2021)
Maori NZE	Maori New Zealand English	Outer	45.5	Szakay (2006)
NigE	Nigerian English	Outer	55.1	Fuchs (in press)
OrkneyE	Orkney English	Inner	70	White et al. (2007)
PakE	Pakistani English	Outer	54.8	Fuchs (in press)
Pakeha NZE	Pakeha New Zealand English	Inner	57.5	Szakay (2006)
PhiE	Philippine English	Outer	56.1	Fuchs (in press)
ScoE	Scottish English	Inner	73.45	Lowit andKuschmann (2012)
ShetlandE	Shetland English	Inner	77	White et al. (2007)
SinE	Singapore English	Outer	46	Low et al. (2000)
SpaE [Berhmann]	Spanish English	Expanding	51.5	Behrman et al. (2019)
SpaE [White]	Spanish English	Expanding	66	White and Mattys (2007)
Spanish	Spanish	Other	36	White and Mattys (2007)
ThaE	Thai English	Expanding	59.6	Sarmah et al. (2009)
Thai	Thai	Other	54.5	Sarmah et al. (2009)
Vietnamese	Vietnamese	Other	50	Nguyen (2018)
VietnE (advanced)	Vietnamese English	Expanding	56	Nguyen (2018)
VietnE (beginner)	Vietnamese English	Expanding	44	Nguyen (2018)
Welsh Valleys Eng	Welsh Valley English	Inner	42	White et al. (2007)