Functional load revisited : reinterpreting the findings of ‘lingua franca’ intelligibility studies
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Journal of Second Language Pronunciation
Publication Date
4-7-2017
Volume
3
Issue
1
First Page
57
Last Page
79
Publisher
John Benjamins Publishing Co.
Abstract
The concept of functional load has been invoked for nearly a century in both research and pedagogy relating to pronunciation. However, it often suffers from a certain vagueness of definition. This article revisits the concept of functional load, outlining its origins and placing it within functionalist approaches to language and communication. The elaborated concept is then applied to the findings of lingua franca intelligibility studies, and it is argued that functional factors have explanatory potential. The application of functional load thus serves as a reinterpretation of the findings of lingua franca intelligibility studies by providing additional theoretical background. This reinterpretation suggests that although functional load is not a universal property of abstract language systems, certain features (such as consonants in general, and initial segments in particular) are widely relied upon in both lingua franca and non-lingua franca communication.
DOI
10.1075/jslp.3.1.03sew
Print ISSN
22151931
E-ISSN
2215194X
Publisher Statement
Copyright © John Benjamins. Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Sewell, A. (2017). Functional load revisited: Reinterpreting the findings of ‘lingua franca’ intelligibility studies. Journal of Second Language Pronunciation, 3(1), 57-79. doi: 10.1075/jslp.3.1.03sew