Journal of Second Language Pronunciation - Volume 7, Issue 3, 2021

Abstract

Achieving nativeness in L2 pronunciation is not critical, nor is it critical for writing about L2 pronunciation. Using the experience of an L2 writer whose paper was rejected because of nonnative written features, this paper argues that it is past time for editors and reviewers to reject nativelike writing as a criterion for acceptance or rejection of an otherwise well-constructed contribution to research.

Abstract

In this article, the constructs of intelligibility, comprehensibility, and discourse-level understanding in second language (L2) speech are analyzed for their conceptual and methodological characteristics. The analysis is complemented by a case study of listeners’ understanding of two matched L2 English speakers, who completed three speaking tasks over 17 weeks. One listening task focused on word/phrase recognition and one focused on semantic and pragmatic understanding. Results showed two different profiles for the two speakers. When listeners had difficulty understanding, for one speaker it was often due to word/phrase recognition problems, while for the other speaker it was often due to ambiguity in the pragmatic or functional meaning of the speech. Implications are discussed for the ways in which L2 speech is elicited, evaluated, and taught.

Abstract

Adopting Brazil’s (1997) prosodic framework, this study examined whether proficiency and study abroad experience impact second language (L2) English learners’ spoken production of speech acts. Twenty-four native English speakers and 64 Japanese learners of L2 English participated in the study. The L2 learner group was divided into three sub-groups: (1) high proficiency learners with study abroad (SA) experience (2) low proficiency learners with no SA experience, and (3) high proficiency learners without SA experience. Participants completed an oral discourse completion task that assessed their ability to produce two speech acts (requests and opinions) in high- and low-imposition situations. Prosodic features including intonation, pitch range, and sentence prominence were analyzed via PRAAT. The findings revealed a complex interplay between proficiency and SA experience on pragma-prosodic production. Implications suggest that SA may have the added benefit of providing the backdrop for authentic contextual functions of prosody in high- and low- imposition situations.

Abstract

This study examined perception of the American English (AE) /v/-/w/ consonant contrast by Hindi speakers of English as a second language (L2). A second aim was to determine whether residence in the US modulated perception of this difficult contrast for proficient bilingual Hindi-English listeners. Two groups of Hindi-English bilinguals (the first resided in the US for more than five years, the second lived in India) and a group of AE-speaking listeners participated in the study. Listeners’ identification and discrimination of nonsense words (e.g., “vagag” vs. “wagag”) were examined. Hindi listeners performed significantly less accurately than AE controls. Accuracy by Hindi listeners was near chance for identification and higher-than-chance for discrimination. Exposure to AE in the US did not improve performance. These results are consistent with previous studies of late L2 learners and extend findings to a population that was proficient in an L2 before arriving in the L2 environment.

Abstract

The present study examines the production of voicing by English-speaking learners of French in a traditional classroom environment, focusing on the juxtaposition between group patterns and individual tendencies. Thirty-one intermediate-level learners completed word-reading production tasks in French and English, and voice onset time was measured in word-initial bilabial stops. At the group level, results demonstrated strong interference from English in participants’ French, especially in the production of voiceless stops. In contrast, voiced stops overall were more target-like, revealing an asymmetry in the acquisition of the two members of the phonological distinction. At the individual level, much variability was observed both in the relative attainment of pronunciation targets and in the alignment between participants first and second language pronunciation patterns, ultimately highlighting the need for future research to consider individual trends in order to understand L2 speech acquisition in a more comprehensive manner.

Abstract

This exploratory study examined the relationship between second language (L2) English speakers’ comprehensibility and their interactional behaviors as they engaged in a conversation with fellow L2 speakers. Thirty-six pairs of L2 English university students completed a 10-minute academic discussion task and subsequently rated each other’s comprehensibility. Transcripts of their conversation were coded for eight measures of task engagement, including cognitive/behavioral engagement (idea units, language-related episodes), social engagement (encouragement, responsiveness, task and time management, backchanneling, nodding), and emotional engagement (positive affect). Speakers who showed more encouragement and nodding were perceived as easier to understand, whereas those who produced more frequent language-focused episodes and demonstrated more responsiveness were rated as harder to understand. These findings provide initial evidence for an association between L2 speakers’ interactional behaviors and peer-ratings of comprehensibility, highlighting L2 comprehensibility as a multifaceted and interaction-driven construct.

Abstract

This review critiques Červinková Poesová and Klára Uličná’s e-book Becoming a Pronunciation teacher. It offers an overview and critical interpretation of the content, together with a display of its convenience as a practical handbook for EFL/ESL teachers and researchers of second language pronunciation instruction. The review will evaluate the authors’ approach as well as its effectiveness as a useful tool to enhance pronunciation teaching in EFL/ESL classrooms.

This article reviews Pronunciation Instruction in English for Academic Purposes

This article reviews Mark Hancock’s 50 Tips for Teaching Pronunciation