Presentation
Authors: Yi-Fang Cheng (Purdue University) , Daniel Olson (Purdue University)
Prior research on second language (L2) acquisition has shown that metalinguistic awareness leads to gains in learners' overall L2 abilities. However, most studies have focused on syntax, morphology, lexical knowledge, and reading and writing skills, while the relationship between metalinguistic awareness and phonetic production has received less attention. The current study explores the potential impact of awareness, particularly phonetic awareness, on L2 phonetic outcomes. Twenty L1 Mandarin–L2 English learners produced target tokens in monolingual English speech. Phonetic awareness was measured through a previously-developed self-report questionnaire that assessed the frequency with which L2 learners used a variety of pronunciation learning strategies. Analysis focused on their production of the English low-front vowel [æ] embedded in the stimuli. Consistent with previous findings, the results showed that participants showed a degree of transfer from the L1 to the L2, as assessed by vowel formants. Yet phonetic awareness was not found to significantly predict phonetic production outcomes. These findings suggest that phonetic awareness alone may not directly contribute to facilitating L2 phonetic acquisition.
Keywords: Metalinguistic awareness, Phonetic awareness, L2 phonetic acquisition
How to Cite: Cheng, Y. & Olson, D. (2025) “The Effect of Metalinguistic Awareness on Second Language Phonetic Acquisition”, Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Proceedings. 15(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/psllt.18454
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