19 International Symposium on Theoretical and Applied Linguistics ...

G E N E R A L S E S S I O N
Learning to perceive and produce the British English vowels
via computer-based auditory training
Angelos Lengeris
University College London
a.leggeris@ucl.ac.uk
The perception and production of vowels in a second language (L2) is generally a difficult task. When
both members of an L2 contrast are assimilated to a single first language (L1) category, learning is
more challenging than cases where each member is assimilated to a different L1 category (Best,
<strong>19</strong>95; Flege, <strong>19</strong>95). At the same time, it has been shown that L2 perception and production can
improve via computer-based auditory training (with most studies focusing on consonant learning, see
for example Logan et al., <strong>19</strong>91; Bradlow et al. <strong>19</strong>97). With the exception of Iverson & Evans (2007)
who trained German and Spanish native speakers’ perception of English vowels but did not examine
gains in production, research on vowel training has exclusively examined Japanese native speakers
(e.g. Lambacher et al., 2005; Nishi & Kewley-Port, 2007).
The present study investigated the effectiveness of auditory training on Greek speakers’ perception
and production of Southern British English vowels with the goal of expanding our knowledge on vowel
training. Greek has a simple 5-vowel system with no “long-short” or “tense-lax” distinctions and Greek
learners of English have difficulties with most English vowels especially when durational information is
reduced (Lengeris & Hazan, 2007). Training consisted of a pre-test phase, a training phase, and a
post-test phase. The pre- and post-phase assessed Greek participants’ perception and production of
English vowels (embedded in bVt words). During the training phase, participants received 5 sessions
of High Variability Phonetic Training (HVPT: Logan et al., <strong>19</strong>91), consisting of an identification task
with feedback using natural words spoken by multiple talkers covering the entire English vowel space.
The results showed that 5 sessions of training significantly improved the trainees’ overall
identification of English vowels (eighteen percentage points) and that improvement generalized to a
new English speaker. Furthermore, auditory training had a positive effect on the trainees’ production of
English vowels. The relationship between gains in perception and production for individuals is
discussed.
References
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Bradlow, A. R., Pisoni, D. B., Akahane-Yamada, R. & Tohkura, Y. <strong>19</strong>97. Training Japanese listeners to identify
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Flege, J. E. <strong>19</strong>95. Second language speech learning theory, findings, and problems. In W. Strange (eds), Speech
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Lengeris, A. & Hazan, V. 2007. Perceptual assimilation and discrimination of Southern British English vowels by
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Nishi, K. & Kewley-Port, D. 2007. Training Japanese listeners to perceive American English vowels: Influence of
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<strong>19</strong> th ISTAL 31