The impact of a short auditory training on L2 pronunciation in languages with different orthographic depth

Abstract

It is sometimes assumed that the pronunciation of an L2 is more predictable and thus easier to learn if its orthography is transparent. This study aims to find out whether this assumption holds true in the first stages of L2 learning in languages with different orthographic depth. The study also examines the effect that a short auditory training (supported by simultaneous orthographic input) has on L2 pronunciation. A central finding was that the pronunciation of an L2 with a transparent orthography was not easier to learn for a naïve learner when compared to an L2 with an opaque orthography. A second finding was that even a short period of auditory training can introduce a significant improvement of a naïve L2 learner’s speech. Further, the results show that mimicking one specific native speaker could be an effective strategy for pronunciation learning. This method should be studied in more detail in future research.