Category Similarity in Multilingual Pronunciation Training

Abstract

Learners with different native languages (L1) meet different challenges when they learn a foreign language (L2). The Speech Learning Model and the Perceptual Assimilation Model PAM-L2 have led to important insights about these challenges. Among other things, they have shown that the learnability of L2 sounds depends on their similarity to sounds in the L1: L2 sounds are more likely to lead to the formation of new phonetic categories if they differ strongly from L1 categories than if they are similar. The similarity of sounds is hard to quantify objectively, especially if the aim is to do this for many L1-L2 pairs. This limits the models' practical applicability. The multilingual pronunciation training platform CALST offers exercises for all new L2 sounds. Two implementations of category (dis)similarity are proposed to identify new sounds, one at the level of functional similarity maintaining all L2 phonemic contrasts, the other based on a more fine-grained, multilingual similarity measure, where L2 sounds are considered new if they can contrast phonemically with the most similar L1 sound in any one language. This level of granularity reflects phonetically salient differences between sounds which, when perceived and produced adequately, suffice for high intelligibility and comprehensibility in L2.

The Spanish Computer-Assisted Listening and Speaking Tutor

“…More specifically, the exercises contrast a target sound with all other sounds which differ in only one IPA dimension (cf. L1-L2map), as these are phonetically most similar to the target sounds (Koreman, 2018; see Section 3 for further details). For consonants, the IPA dimensions are manner Violeta Martínez-Paricio & Jacques Koreman of articulation, place of articulation, and voicing.…”

“…Flege uses the term equivalence classification for the use of an L1 sound which is similar to a sound in the target language. It is not possible to operationalise this concept of similarity based on the phonological inventory definitions in L1-L2map; nor do all substitutions of an L2 sound by an "equivalent" sound from the learner's native language have the same impact on comprehensibility (Koreman, 2018).…”