Multi-directionality in the transfer of vowel duration from L3 portuguese to L1 spanish and L2 english: a longitudinal study

Following a Dynamic, Complex-Adaptive System account (BECKNER et al., 2009; DE BOT et al., 2013; SILVA, 2014), this study aims to address the assumption that changes in an additional language system (such as the L3) may account for the co-ocurrence of changes in the previously learned language systems (such as the L1 and the L2). Departing from this assumption, a longitudinal study was conducted with a Mexican learner (L1 Spanish) who had been residing in Brazil (L2: English; L3: Brazilian Portuguese) at the time of the study. The instruction consisted of weekly 90-minute classes and took place throughout 4 months. The data collections consisted of recordings of word lists in the three languages. The first recording was conducted before the instructional period, the next three recordings were conducted after every four classes, and the fifth recording was conducted at the end of the experiment, totaling 5 recordings. The findings of the longitudinal study provided evidence to the premise that alterations of vowel durations in the L3 system (Brazilian Portuguese), accelerated by formal instruction, may cause alterations in the absolute and relative durations of the vowels of the other languages, due to the interrelation among the language systems of this multilingual speaker.