Date:  Thu, 16 Dec 1993 17:00:37 CST

From:  salikoko mufwene <mufw[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MIDWAY.UCHICAGO.EDU>

Subject: Re: productive competence



In Message Thu, 16 Dec 1993 15:45:14 CST,

 "Donald M. Lance" <ENGDL%MIZZOU1.BITNET[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]vma.cc.nd.edu> writes:



>And how is it that so many ESL students make pen/pin distinctions when

>taught by pin/pin teachers? Perhaps even cot/caught?

>And kids who keep the home phonology rather than shifting to the teacher's

>model, or vice versa.

>And why young speakers from St. Louis manifested a lot of ae-raising twenty

>years ago but current ones don't.

>                 DMLance



As a person that learned English the same way, ESL students pay a lot of

attention to spelling, which often works as a source of interference,

and perceive/assume distinctions which are nor made. By the way, are there

any pronunciation dictionaries which assume the "pen/pin" merger system or

are consistent in representing variation in pronunciation?

Sali.

Salikoko S. Mufwene

Linguistics, U. of Chicago

s-mufwene[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]uchicago.edu

312-702-8531