Articulatory Behaviors of Nonnative Speakers: Role of L2 Proficiency and Accent Modification

Abstract

To sound native-like, nonnative speakers need to approximate the articulatory patterns of native speakers. When nonnative speakers deviate from native speakers' production patterns, it gives rise to a nonnative accent. This study examines how proficiency in a second language (L2) is related to processing skills in L2, as measured by the accuracy of consonant production. 10 monolingual speakers of American English, 10 Bengali-English bilinguals with high proficiency in English, and 10 Bengali-English bilinguals with low proficiency in English participated. The participants spoke 16 nonwords of four different syllable lengths. Productions were phonetically transcribed. Results suggested that nonnative speakers' L2 proficiency differentially interacted with overall phonemic accuracy, usage of appropriate place, manner and voicing features, position of consonants within target words, and syllable length. Implications of these findings are discussed in light of customized strategies for modification of nonnative accents.

Production Accuracy of L2 Vowels: Phonological Parsimony and Phonetic Flexibility

“…Overall L2 proficiency has been shown to predict how nativelike L2 speech production is. More proficient L2 learners speak faster and make fewer errors (Kormos & Dénes 2004); they have better speech motor control (Nip & Blumenfeld 2015); they show greater segmental accuracy (Chakraborty, Domsch & Gonzales 2011) and adopt L2 articulatory patterns (e.g., Flege, Schirru & MacKay, 2003). In addition, based on our long-term experience with the target learner population, we believe motivation to be an essential factor in compensating for the input handicap.…”

Non-word repetition may reveal different errors in naive listeners and second language learners

“…Cebrian (2007) and Zhang (2019) used a task in which bilingual listeners heard an /hVd/ non-word and were asked to repeat the word in an /hVb/ frame, thus forcing the listener to abstract away from the phonetic signal in the stimulus. Chakraborty et al (2011) used 16 different non-words of different lengths, containing a range of phonemes, in a non-word repetition task to test the articulation of English-Bengali bilinguals. Thus, although we have not seen non-word repetition used with naïve listeners, and although there may be no consensus on the purpose of using non-word repetition in assessing child language development, it is nonetheless a task that approximates the earliest stages of L2 classroom exposure and is suitable for use with naïve listeners and L2 learners alike.…”