Narrating the sound of self: The role of pronunciation in learners’ self‐constructions in study‐abroad contexts

Abstract

This paper discusses the findings of an empirical study that explores the relationship between study-abroad experiences, learner identity, and pronunciation. We argue that the role of pronunciation as a personal domain of meaning-making warrants more attention than it has hitherto received. To this end, we investigate the narratives of Canadian learners, studying abroad in Germany, in relation to discourses of language learning, culture, and identity, using a Critical Discourse Analysis approach. Our data, which we gained from semi-structured interviews and e-journals, shows that learners' perceptions of pronunciation are closely linked to their views of the native-speaker ideal, impacting their self-constructions and interpretations of learning experience. In conclusion, we argue for a more differentiated understanding of pronunciation and its implications for language teaching and study abroad.

Investigating English Speaking Problems: Implications for Speaking Curriculum Development in Indonesia

“…In interpersonal competence, proficiency in phonology and intelligible productions are crucial for producing successful spoken interaction. Indeed, pronunciation can be considered as a meaningful domain in creating meaning (Müller & Schmenk, 2017). Based on the interview and focus group discussion, some students report that they have to speak accurately in order that they emphasize on pronouncing English words (particularly less common words) and sound correctly.…”

German in the Marketplace of Languages: Why Students of German and of Four Other Languages Say That They and Others Might Choose German

“…The converse, that is, the WTC of native speakers with learners, has been neglected. Similarly, interactions with native speakers have been found to be critical predictors in study abroad, including with regard to proficiency gains (e.g., Magnan & Back, 2007), the formation of identity (e.g., Müller & Schmenk, 2017; Wang, 2014), and emotional challenges (McGregor, 2014). Nevertheless, research has privileged the perspective of learners to the exclusion of that of the native speakers.…”

“I Thought That When I was in Germany, I Would Speak Just German”: Language Learning and Desire in Twenty-first Century Study Abroad

“…I am very grateful to my participants, both of whom gave so much of their time to this study in 2009-2010. I would also like to acknowledge and thank Mareike Müller (2011Müller ( , 2015 for her collaborative efforts on early versions of parts of this paper. Thank you to Wenhao Diao, Michael Chesnut, and several anonymous reviewers who provided thoughtful and challenging comments on earlier drafts of this manuscript.…”

“…This section on language learning, desire, and identity and the first methodology section emerged from collaborative work on language learning and identity in study abroad carried out with MareikeMüller (2011Müller ( , 2015.…”