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Article published In:
Journal of Second Language Pronunciation
Vol. 8:2 (2022) ► pp.218–247

Assimilation patterns predict L2 identification accuracy of English initial consonants

ORCID logo | Aarhus University
| Aarhus University
A large range of studies has generated predictions of second language (L2) speech learning problems from perceptual assimilation patterns of nonnative sounds to native (L1) categories. The present study extends our knowledge of assimilation patterns as a predictor of L2 speech perception by examining the relationship between perceptual assimilation and L2 identification. Specifically, we examine how nonnative listeners’ perceptual assimilation of the full range of English initial consonants predicts their identification accuracy. Four groups of non-native listeners, differing orthogonally with regard to their L1 (Danish, Finnish) and English-language immersion experience (immersion, non-immersion) participated. As predicted, assimilation patterns interacted with L2 experience in accounting for how the L2 learners identified English consonants for some assimilation types, while the predictions were less successful for other assimilation types.
Keywords: Second language speech perception, cross-language assimilation, consonant identification, L2 English, L1 Danish, L1 Finnish, L2 immersion experience
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.The consonant inventories of English, Finnish, and Danish
    • 2.1Previous studies on Danish and Finnish learners’ acquisition of English consonants
  • 3.Experiment 1: Perceptual assimilation of English Initial consonants to Finnish and Danish
    • 3.1Methods
      • 3.1.1Participants
      • 3.1.2Stimuli
      • 3.1.3Procedure
      • 3.1.4Statistical analyses
    • 3.2Results and discussion
      • 3.2.1Assimilation of English consonants to Finnish
        • Unique Phones
        • SC Assimilations
        • CG Assimilations
        • Uncategorized Phones
      • 3.2.2Assimilation of English consonants to Danish
        • Unique Phones
        • CG Assimilations
        • Uncategorized phones
  • 4.Experiment 2: Identification of English initial consonants by Finnish and Danish listeners differing in English-Language immersion experience
    • 4.1Predictions derived from the perceptual assimilation data
    • 4.2Methods
      • 4.2.1Participants
      • 4.2.2Stimuli and Procedure
    • 4.3Results and discussion
  • 5.General discussion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 13 September 2022
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jslp.21024.hor
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