Journal of Second Language Pronunciation - Volume 4, Issue 1, 2018

Any discipline requires precision in critical issues while tolerating and perhaps even welcoming imprecision in other respects. This editorial discusses areas in second language pronunciation research in which precision is required (the use of terminology such as intelligibility and comprehensibility), where it is not always required to the same extent (the use of phonetic and phonemic symbols), and where it is rarely required (in how L2 learners are given explanations or ways to pronounce more accurately). The article then describes the content of the full-length articles, commentary and reviews.

This investigation compared adult sequential bilinguals and native speakers (NSs) with the intention of determining if bilinguals are an appropriate comparison group for second language (L2) learners in L2 phonetic research. To that end, 16 Spanish-English bilinguals were compared to 20 NSs of English on their perception and production of two English vowels. In perception, both groups had a similar category boundary and acoustic cue weighting. In production, both groups produced distinct vowels that were highly intelligible, although the bilinguals produced the phonemes closer together in the vowel space and had more variable performance than the NSs. The inspection of these two participant groups reveals that bilinguals have the ability to perceive and produce a difficult L2 phonemic contrast, with slight and inconsequential differences when compared to NSs. Thus, I argue that bilinguals who have acquired a target structure are an apt comparison group in L2 phonetic experiments.

This case study examined the benefits of a sensory-based approach for teaching second language pronunciation to actors, addressing the unique learning goal of nativelike speech for nonnative professional actors. Two French Canadian actors (Marianne and Sebastian) were followed over 10 weeks of pronunciation instruction based on Knight’s (2012) theatrical voice methods and Gibson’s (1969) principles of sensory learning. Audio samples from scripted performances before and after instruction were rated for global and linguistic measures by 10 linguistically trained listeners and for performance measures by 10 advanced acting students. Listener ratings showed a significant improvement in accentedness for Marianne and greater comprehensibility for both actors, while qualitative data revealed actors’ preferences for different types of instruction. Results suggest that sensory learning appears beneficial for some learners and that pronunciation instruction could be supplemented with sensory-based activities.

Although pronunciation is an integral part of speaking, the role pronunciation plays in determining speaking-proficiency levels is unclear ( Higgs & Clifford, 1982 ; Kang, 2013 ). To contribute to our understanding of this area, the research reported here investigated the relationship between English as a Second Language (ESL) learners’ pronunciation ability and their speaking-proficiency ratings. At an intensive English program (IEP) in the United States, a speaking test was administered to 223 ESL students. Their speaking proficiency was rated using an oral proficiency assessment based on standardized guidelines. In addition, their pronunciation was rated in six categories (vowels, consonants, word stress, sentence stress, intonation, and rhythm) by 11 raters using a rubric specifically developed and validated for this study. Many-Facet Rasch Measurement (MFRM) was used to estimate the students’ pronunciation ability, which was then compared to their speaking ability. The study found that sentence stress, rhythm, and intonation accounted for 41% of the variance in the speaking-proficiency test scores with sentence stress being the most powerful factor.

This study examined how 10 English Canadian students reading a 122-word passage in French were assessed by a diverse group of 40 native speaker lay listeners in France, thus addressing a lacuna in current pronunciation research. Both stimulus factors and listener effects were investigated. Quantitative and qualitative data revealed strong correlations between perceptions of accentedness and comprehensibility, and between lay ratings and those made by two experts. Results highlighted the impact phonemic errors and rate of speech have on rater judgments, while linkings (liaisons) and other prosodic elements seemed to play a minor role. Recommendations are made for a follow-up study using a larger sample.

Language learning is a multimodal endeavor; to improve their pronunciation in a new language, learners access not only auditory information about speech sounds and patterns, but also visual information about articulatory movements and processes. With the development of new technologies in computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT) comes new possibilities for delivering feedback in both auditory and visual modalities. The present paper surveys the literature on computer-assisted visual articulation feedback, including direct feedback that provides visual models of articulation and indirect feedback that uses visualized acoustic information as a means to inform articulation instruction. Our focus is explicitly on segmental features rather than suprasegmental ones, with visual feedback conceived of as providing visualizations of articulatory configurations, movements, and processes. In addition to discussing types of visual articulation feedback, we also consider the criteria for effective delivery of feedback, and methods of evaluation.