Target language variation and second‐language acquisition: learning English in New York City

The role of dialect variation in the acquisition of American English by adult second language learners was investigated. Subjects, adult learners of English as a second language in New York City, represented a range of native backgrounds, proficiency levels and socioeconomics status. Learners' reactions to standard English, New Yorkese (New York nonstandard English) and Black English were considered. First, the learners' developing ability to detect dialect differences and evaluate samples in terms of their own preferences and impressions was assessed. Results showed that learners can discriminate between dialect samples at early stages of acquisition but native norms and stereotypes are acquired as proficiency increases. Advanced‐level participants in the study paralleled native judgements of standard and nonstandard English speakers. Post hoc interviews, however, showed that learners' impressions of Black English were more clearly defined than those relating to New Yorkese and that personal experience played the crucial role in the development of dialect‐related stereotypes. A second series of experiments focused on the role of dialect intelligibility in learning English as a second‐language for middle‐and working‐class learners. Findings indicated that Black English was harder for both groups to understand while New Yorkese was more difficult for middle‐class learners than for their working‐class counterparts. The standard was the most comprehensible for all subjects. These studies show that dialect differences in a second‐language present problems for learners including variable intelligibility and negative learner attitude towards some varieties and speakers which may crucially affect second‐language input.