Acoustic characteristics of American English liquids /ɹ/, /l/, /ɹl/ produced by Korean L2 adults

Purpose: This study presents the results of acoustic and kinematic analyses of word-initial semivowels (/ɹ, l, w/) produced by second-language (L2) speakers of English whose native language is Korean. In addition, the relationship of acoustic and kinematic measures to the ratings of foreign accent was examined by correlation analyses. Method: Eleven L2 speakers and 10 native speakers (first language [L1]) of English read The Caterpillar passage. Acoustic and kinematic data were simultaneously recorded using an electromagnetic articulography system. In addition to speaking rate, two acoustic measures (ratio of third-formant [F3] frequency to second-formant [F2] frequency and duration of steady states of F2) and two kinematic measures (lip aperture and duration of lingual maximum hold) were obtained from individual target sounds. To examine the degree of contrast among the three sounds, acoustic and kinematic Euclidean distances were computed on the F2–F3 and x – y planes, respectively. Results: Compared with L1 speakers, L2 speakers exhibited a significantly slower speaking rate. For the three semivowels, L2 speakers showed a reduced F3/F2 ratio during constriction, increased lip aperture, and reduced acoustic Euclidean distances among semivowels. Additionally, perceptual ratings of foreign accent were significantly correlated with three measures: duration of steady F2, acoustic Euclidean distance, and kinematic Euclidean distance. Conclusions: The findings provide acoustic and kinematic evidence for challenges that L2 speakers experience in the production of English semivowels, especially /ɹ/ and /w/. The robust and consistent finding of reduced contrasts among semivowels and their correlations with perceptual accent ratings suggests using sound contrasts as a potentially effective approach to accent modification paradigms.

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Formant dynamics in second language speech: Japanese speakers' production of English liquids

Nagamine

2024

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

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This article reports an acoustic study analysing the time-varying spectral properties of word-initial English liquids produced by 31 first-language (L1) Japanese and 14 L1 English speakers. While it is widely accepted that L1 Japanese speakers have difficulty in producing English /l/ and /ɹ/, the temporal characteristics of L2 English liquids are not well-understood, even in light of previous findings that English liquids show dynamic properties. In this study, the distance between the first and second formants (F2–F1) and the third formant (F3) are analysed dynamically over liquid-vowel intervals in three vowel contexts using generalised additive mixed models (GAMMs). The results demonstrate that L1 Japanese speakers produce word-initial English liquids with stronger vocalic coarticulation than L1 English speakers. L1 Japanese speakers may have difficulty in dissociating F2–F1 between the liquid and the vowel to a varying degree, depending on the vowel context, which could be related to perceptual factors. This article shows that dynamic information uncovers specific challenges that L1 Japanese speakers have in producing L2 English liquids accurately.

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Acoustic characteristics of American English liquids /ɹ/, /l/, /ɹl/ produced by Korean L2 adults

Cited by 3 publications

References 20 publications

An Impressionistic Study of British English Monophthongs Produced by L2 Thai Learners

An Impressionistic Study of British English Monophthongs Produced by L2 Thai Learners

Acoustic and Articulatory Characteristics of English Semivowels /ɹ, l, w/ Produced by Adult Second-Language Speakers

Formant dynamics in second language speech: Japanese speakers' production of English liquids

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