Predictors of L2 Pronunciation among Adult Language Learners

Autor/in	Li, Joanne Jingwen
Titel	Predictors of L2 Pronunciation among Adult Language Learners
Quelle	(2023), (216 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit Ph.D. Dissertation, New York University
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
ISBN	979-8-3684-6781-8
Schlagwörter	Hochschulschrift; Dissertation; Predictor Variables; Second Language Learning; Pronunciation; Adult Students; Speech Communication; English (Second Language); Mandarin Chinese; Phonological Awareness; Vowels + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Thesis; Dissertations; Academic thesis; Prädiktor; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Aussprache; Adult; Adults; Student; Students; Erwachsenenalter; Studentin; Schüler; Schülerin; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache
Abstract	Although second language (L2) learners often have difficulty with learning the L2 pronunciation, the literature has reported a mix of more successful and less successful learners. Many factors could contribute to individual variation in L2 speech sound learning. This dissertation examines a few factors that are hypothesized to influence L2 production, including similarity/difference in prosodic and segmental aspects between L1 and L2 and several speaker-level characteristics. Study 1 examined Mandarin speakers' production of English stress contrast in both acoustic and kinematic domains. The results suggested that Mandarin speakers' native experience with stress contrast may facilitate nonnative stress production. However, the weights of individual cues differ across the two languages, which may cause Mandarin speakers' nonnative use of acoustic duration and jaw movement velocity/stiffness in English. Study 2 trained English speakers to learn Mandarin vowels and investigated whether the learners' auditory and somatosensory acuity would interact with the type of visual biofeedback provided during the training and predict the training outcome. Although not revealing interactions or main effects of the sensory acuity, our results identified phonological awareness and production variability as significant predictors of learning gains. Study 3 recruited English learners of Mandarin and assessed their auditory and somatosensory acuity, phonological awareness, and accuracy and variability of Mandarin vowel productions. Linear mixed-effects models were used to analyze the association between Mandarin vowel production accuracy and the other examined factors. The results showed that vowel production accuracy was associated with production variability for Mandarin /u/, a perceptually similar vowel to English speakers, and somatosensory acuity for Mandarin /y/, a perceptually new vowel. Taken together, the findings in this dissertation contribute to the L2 literature by revealing factors that may influence L2 production performance for individuals at different L2 learning stages, as well as L2 speech aspects that differ from L1 sounds to different extents. The results may inspire L2 instructors and clinicians to consider individual learners' language background and ability profiles when making speech sound teaching/training plans to improve not only group but also individual level performance. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] (As Provided).
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Update	2024/1/01