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How Multilingual Experience Shapes Linguistic Development in English: A Study on Accent Perception with Elementary School Children in Sweden

Kalogeropoulou, Evangelia LU (2025) SPVR02 20251
Master's Programme: Language and Linguistics
General Linguistics
Abstract
This thesis explores how bilingual and trilingual children aged 7–11 develop their
English pronunciation in an international school where English is the main language of learning
and play. Recordings from a storytelling task were rated for accent and comprehensibility, and
background data from parental questionnaires provided detailed language profiles. Analyzing
these data, it examines (a) whether the two groups differ in perceived accentedness and
comprehensibility, and (b) what individual factors—such as Age of Onset of Acquisition, Age of
Onset of English Instruction, dominance, and preference—shape these outcomes, in a group
level and in total. Combining these results with the participants’ language profiles and answers,
this... (More)
This thesis explores how bilingual and trilingual children aged 7–11 develop their
English pronunciation in an international school where English is the main language of learning
and play. Recordings from a storytelling task were rated for accent and comprehensibility, and
background data from parental questionnaires provided detailed language profiles. Analyzing
these data, it examines (a) whether the two groups differ in perceived accentedness and
comprehensibility, and (b) what individual factors—such as Age of Onset of Acquisition, Age of
Onset of English Instruction, dominance, and preference—shape these outcomes, in a group
level and in total. Combining these results with the participants’ language profiles and answers,
this study provides insights into trilingual phonology. Findings show that both bilingual and
trilingual children reached high levels of comprehensibility and native‐like accents. Group
differences were not statistically established; descriptively, trilinguals showed a slightly tighter
clustering at the higher end of the scale. Individual variation was more closely linked to English
dominance and preference than to AoO. These results suggest that the school’s stimulating,
socially rich environment may act as a “phonological accelerator” fostering strong phonological
skills. (Less)
Popular Abstract
This thesis explores how bilingual and trilingual children aged 7–11 develop their
English pronunciation in an international school where English is the main language of learning
and play. Recordings from a storytelling task were rated for accent and comprehensibility, and
background data from parental questionnaires provided detailed language profiles. Analyzing
these data, it examines (a) whether the two groups differ in perceived accentedness and
comprehensibility, and (b) what individual factors—such as Age of Onset of Acquisition, Age of
Onset of English Instruction, dominance, and preference—shape these outcomes, in a group
level and in total. Combining these results with the participants’ language profiles and answers,
this... (More)
This thesis explores how bilingual and trilingual children aged 7–11 develop their
English pronunciation in an international school where English is the main language of learning
and play. Recordings from a storytelling task were rated for accent and comprehensibility, and
background data from parental questionnaires provided detailed language profiles. Analyzing
these data, it examines (a) whether the two groups differ in perceived accentedness and
comprehensibility, and (b) what individual factors—such as Age of Onset of Acquisition, Age of
Onset of English Instruction, dominance, and preference—shape these outcomes, in a group
level and in total. Combining these results with the participants’ language profiles and answers,
this study provides insights into trilingual phonology. Findings show that both bilingual and
trilingual children reached high levels of comprehensibility and native‐like accents. Group
differences were not statistically established; descriptively, trilinguals showed a slightly tighter
clustering at the higher end of the scale. Individual variation was more closely linked to English
dominance and preference than to AoO. These results suggest that the school’s stimulating,
socially rich environment may act as a “phonological accelerator” fostering strong phonological
skills. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Kalogeropoulou, Evangelia LU
supervisor
organization
course
SPVR02 20251
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
accentedness, comprehensibility, bilingualism, trilingualism, phonological development, international school
language
English
id
9213285
date added to LUP
2025-09-30 09:18:45
date last changed
2025-09-30 09:18:45
@misc{9213285,
  abstract     = {{This thesis explores how bilingual and trilingual children aged 7–11 develop their
English pronunciation in an international school where English is the main language of learning
and play. Recordings from a storytelling task were rated for accent and comprehensibility, and
background data from parental questionnaires provided detailed language profiles. Analyzing
these data, it examines (a) whether the two groups differ in perceived accentedness and
comprehensibility, and (b) what individual factors—such as Age of Onset of Acquisition, Age of
Onset of English Instruction, dominance, and preference—shape these outcomes, in a group
level and in total. Combining these results with the participants’ language profiles and answers,
this study provides insights into trilingual phonology. Findings show that both bilingual and
trilingual children reached high levels of comprehensibility and native‐like accents. Group
differences were not statistically established; descriptively, trilinguals showed a slightly tighter
clustering at the higher end of the scale. Individual variation was more closely linked to English
dominance and preference than to AoO. These results suggest that the school’s stimulating,
socially rich environment may act as a “phonological accelerator” fostering strong phonological
skills.}},
  author       = {{Kalogeropoulou, Evangelia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{How Multilingual Experience Shapes Linguistic Development in English: A Study on Accent Perception with Elementary School Children in Sweden}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}