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Article published In:
Journal of Second Language Pronunciation
Vol. 9:2 (2023) ► pp.192–207

Listening to the “noise” in the data

The critical importance of individual differences in second-language speech [*] *

ORCID logo | Simon Fraser University

The term “noise” is often applied to the seemingly random variability that always appears in human data, and which is assumed to be of no interest to the researcher. Some of this variability is unavoidably due to measurement tools or the way in which we use them, and some is due to the unstable nature of human behaviour. In such cases, we may be justified in treating the variability as irrelevant noise. However, we cannot assume that all inexplicable variation is unimportant. Using examples from earlier research, I will argue that individual variability is a phenomenon worthy of study in its own right. Not only can it help us understand the nuances of the learning process, but giving it careful consideration can be a valuable step in determining how to effectively apply research findings in pedagogy.

Keywords: acquisition, individual differences, variability, ergodicity, noise, aspiration, vowels
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.What do we mean by “individual differences”?
    • 2.1Example: Listening conditions and speech intelligibility
    • 2.2Example: Acquisition trajectories for English /p/
    • 2.3Example: English vowel production by Cantonese speakers
  • 3.Conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
Published online: 21 November 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jslp.23029.mun
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