As is typical across Turtle Island, the Hul'q'umi'num' (Coast Salish) language revitalization movement is being carried by adult language learners (Haynes 2010; McIvor 2015) but becoming a proficient Hul'q'umi'num' speaker is challenging given the complexity of its sound system. In this paper, we share our experiences using the speech analysis…

This study employed a targeted phonetic instruction to explore the mechanisms that underpin second language (L2) phonetic acquisition. Broadly, two general approaches to phonetic acquisition have been previously proposed. A segmental approach suggests that learners acquire a series of individual, discrete phonemes (e.g., Flege, 1995), while a…

Tracey Derwing and Ron Thomson reflect on the growth of Canadian L2 pronunciation research from the early 1990s onward. Although many phoneticians and language educators called for pronunciation instruction (PI) for decades, in the early 1980s little empirical research existed to inform pronunciation pedagogy, despite an influx of Vietnamese…

Much research has been conducted on factors that impact on second language (L2) speech production in light of the age of L2 acquisition, the length of residence in the L2 environment, motivation, the amount of first language (L1) usage, etc. Very little of this research has taken the perspective of interference between L1 and L2, especially with…

The present article reports on the findings of a cross-sectional acoustic study of the production of the Spanish /e/-/ei/ contrast, as in "pena-peina" and "reno-reino," by native-English intermediate and advanced learners of Spanish. The acoustic parameter that distinguishes Spanish /e/ from /ei/ is formant change--/e/ is a…

The emergence of empirical approaches to L2 pronunciation research and teaching is a powerful "fourth wave" in the history of the field. Authored by two leading proponents of evidence-based instruction, this volume surveys both foundational and cutting-edge empirical work and pinpoints its ramifications for pedagogy. The authors begin by…

Our goal in developing this timeline was to trace the empirical bases of current approaches to L2 pronunciation teaching, with particular attention to the concepts of "accent" and "intelligibility". The process of identifying suitable works for inclusion challenged us in several ways. First, the number of empirical studies of pronunciation…

Stress is one of the key suprasegmentals in English sound system. It plays an important role in intelligibility and comprehensibility. However, stress often poses problems for Chinese EFL Learners. Chinese learners of English often misplace the stress in English words and sentences which subsequently may interrupt the flow of communication and…

In this paper we explore English pronunciation teaching within an English as an International Language (EIL) framework, arguing that teaching learners how to produce English phonemes can lead to an improvement in their aural ability. English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners often have difficulty discriminating between and producing…

The theme for this year's annual graduate student conference of the College of Languages, Linguistics, and Literature (LLL) was "Your Voice, My Voice: Literature, Language, Culture and Society." Translation and interpretation guided the theme for the conference, with Dr. Marvin Puakea Nogelmeier of the Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian…

A GROUP OF 136 STUDENTS IN GERMAN ONE, TWO, AND THREE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY PARTICIPATED IN AN EXPERIMENT IN WHICH TESTS WERE MADE OF THEIR PRONUNCIATION OF INITIAL GERMAN "S" CLUSTERS (THOSE WHICH ARE SPELLED "S--" AND THOSE SPELLED "SCH--"). THIS PARTICULAR PRONUNCIATION PROBLEM WAS SELECTED BECAUSE THE GERMAN AND ENGLISH…

Handbooks of French phonetics disagree with the findings of phonetic research. Discussed are: differentiating between teaching pronunciation and auditory perception: the difference between acoustic and semantic hearing; and the importance of nasal regressive and progressive assimilation in contemporary spoken French. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

This paper reviews recent insights into the pragmatics of language use and language learning that point to the importance of larger prefabricated units. It suggests that prefabricated "chunks" of language might be a useful starting point for a more holistic approach to pronunciation teaching. (21 references) (MDM)

A NEED TO DETERMINE THE VALUE OF PRELIMINARY DISCRIMINATION TRAINING IN INCREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LANGUAGE LABORATORY PRACTICE ON THE PRONUNCIATION OF FRENCH SOUNDS HAS RESULTED IN THIS STUDY. DESCRIBED IN CHAPTER 2 ARE ELEVEN PILOT STUDIES, INVOLVING MORE THAN 1,000 STUDENTS, THAT PERMITTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF MATERIALS, TRAINING PROCEDURES,…

An exercise developed to aid an aphasia patient in relearning rules governing phonological changes in English was later used in a pilot study attempting to teach English pronunciation to French speakers by rule rather than by rote. The method used and the results obtained are reported. (RM)