Research in Language

Pronunciation Anxiety, Pronunciation-Related Views and Pronunciation Learning Actions of EMI and English Major Students

Esther Gómez Lacabex, Hanne Roothooft — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0100

The present study explored pronunciation views, learning actions and anxiety in two differentiated English learner groups: one group which was studying English in an engineering degree and another group enrolled in an English major degree. The results from a questionnaire and focus group sessions revealed that the groups share some views such as a wish to improve their English pronunciation and adherence to native pronunciation references as well as pronunciation learning actions such as watching series or talking to native speakers. However, we also observed significant differences between the groups as the English major students tended to view pronunciation learning as a discipline, while the engineering students saw it as a communicative skill. The English majors also exhibited more pronunciation anxiety, specifically fear of ridicule and worry of making mistakes. They also revealed more anxiety-related themes in the focus group discussions such as worry about their pronunciation, pronunciation shame or unease because they do not know how to pronounce a word or cannot understand. Finally, the English major group was also more demanding of lecturers’ accurate pronunciation. These results suggest that differences regarding English pronunciation anxiety between different learner profiles may need to be considered during their English language learning progress.

Zooming into the L2 Speech Fluency Markers of Anxious and Non-Anxious Advanced L2 Learners – an Extreme Case Sampling Report

Magdalena Szyszka, Pekka Lintunen — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0100

The study examines selected temporal markers of L2 utterance fluency in the speech of advanced L2 learners who exhibit high (HLA) and low (LLA) language anxiety levels. Out of the pool of 59 participants, six HLA and six LLA individuals were selected for an in-depth analysis on the basis of their scores on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (the FLCAS) (Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986). Speech samples from a monologue task were examined for selected L2 utterance fluency measures: filled (FP) and silent pause (SP) frequency, mean length of silent pause (MLSP), articulation rate (AR), speech rate (SR), and mean length of run (MLR). The results provided insights into the L2 speech fluency profiles of anxious and non-anxious individuals. The analysis disclosed relatively higher frequency and disparate application of FPs, slower speed of speech, and more varied profiles in MLR in the HLA group as compared to the LLA group. The findings yield pedagogical and methodological implications.

Personality as a Correlate of Accentedness: The Case of Formal Setting Without Pronunciation-Focused Instruction

Małgorzata Baran-Łucarz — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0100

The main goal of the study reported in this paper was to verify whether the Big Five personality traits can be considered correlates of accentedness in a setting deprived of pronunciation-focused instruction. Each trait was measured among 58 English majors in Poland, who were just beginning their education at the university, by the means of the Polish version of Goldberg’s measure, i.e. IPIP-BFM-50. The levels of the traits were correlated with the participants’ degree of accentedness assessed by 2 judges on a 9-point Likert scale with the use of a reading task. The quantitative data were supplemented by interviews with 10 participants representing high and low levels of accentedness, which allowed to diagnose their motivation, attitudes towards the sound of English, pronunciation self-perceptions, and strategies applied in autonomous learning. The quantitative data showed a weak correlation only between Openness to experience and accentedness, which was further moderated by the other above-mentioned individual learner differences. Additionally, the qualitative outcomes suggested the importance of Agreeableness, which was found to be very high or high among learners with the lowest levels of accentedness.

Speech Rhythm in Spontaneous and Controlled L2 Speaking Modes: Exploring Differences and Distance Measures

Katherine Fraser, Joan C. Mora — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0100

Studies of speech rhythm have often used read speech rather than spontaneous speech in their comparisons. However, read speech has been shown to be perceptually different from spontaneous speech, which may be due to rhythmic differences between the two modes. To examine this, the effect of speaking mode (spontaneous or controlled) was assessed in a group of 82 Spanish-Catalan learners of English relative to a control group of 8 native English speakers. Results found strong rhythmic differences between the two modes, but minimal differences between the learners and native speakers. Additionally, Mahalanobis distance analyses revealed that non-native speakers differed significantly more from the native control group in the spontaneous condition than the controlled condition.

Asymmetrical Equivalence Classification – Cluster Affrication vs. Lenis Stops in the Speech of Polish Learners of English

Geoffrey Schwartz, Ewelina Wojtkowiak — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0100

According to the Speech Learning Model (Flege 1995), successful L2 phonological acquisition is facilitated by the formation of new phonetic categories in the L2. However, category formation may be hindered by equivalence classification, wherein speakers perceptually merge L1 and L2 sounds. This study examines L1 Polish learners of English, including a phonetic parameter that has received minimal attention: affrication of /tr-dr/ clusters in English. Two groups of speakers, comprising B1 level and C2 level learners, produced word lists containing both initial /tr-dr/ clusters, as well as singleton voiced stops /b, d, g/. The results revealed an asymmetry: both groups failed to suppress pre-voicing in /b, d, g/, but were successful in producing affricated clusters. A new category has therefore been formed for the clusters, but not for the singleton stops. Phonological implications of this finding are discussed.

Language Proficiency and Sonorant Devoicing in English Plosive-Sonorant Clusters

Klára Přečková, Pavel Šturm, Jan Volín — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0100

This article explores the timing of phonetic voicing in plosive-sonorant clusters in English. VOT was measured in two groups of Czech learners with different proficiency levels and a native English control group. The hypothesis was that cross-language differences in the implementation of the voicing contrast would be reflected in lower devoicing by the non-native speakers, modulated by proficiency. 24 participants read a text with plosive-sonorant clusters (such as in plan or troops). The study found that less proficient speakers exhibited smaller degrees of devoicing compared to more proficient speakers, who however did not differ from the native controls. In line with the absence of devoicing in Czech secondary-school textbooks, the results provide insight into the interplay between language proficiency and pronunciation details in L2 acquisition.

The research was supported by the European Regional Development Fund-Project ‘Creativity and Adaptability as Conditions of the Success of Europe in an Interrelated World’ (No. CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/0000734). The study was created within the Charles University programme ‘Cooperatio’, scientific field Linguistics.