Intonation Patterns Used in Non-Neutral Statements by Czech Learners of Italian and Spanish: A Cross-Linguistic Comparison

The objective of the study is to contribute our understanding acquisition second language intonation by comparing L2 Italian and Spanish as produced L1 Czech learners. Framed within Intonation Learning theory, sheds light on which tonal events tend be successfully learnt why. examines different types non-neutral statements (narrow focus, obvious, what-exclamatives), obtained means a Discourse Completion Task. findings show that two groups diverge significantly in producing nuclear pitch accents L+H* (L2 Spanish) (L+)H*+L Italian), indicative target-like realization each language. However, learners struggle with target boundary tones HL% L!H% prenuclear both Romance varieties. It speculated this due not only difficulties acquiring semantic or systemic dimensions, but also perceptual salience frequency effects. In addition, explores individual differences reveals no significant effects time spent an L2-speaking country, age learning amount active use foreign accuracy production.