The second time around: the effect of FI upon return from SA

Abstract

The present study has aimed at assessing the effects of an 8-week FI period lacking explicit attention to phonology preceded by a 3-monthSA term on the VOT production of English voiceless stops in initial stressed position by Catalan/Spanish EFL learners through two tasks. Speech samples were collected from 13 participants upon their return from SA (T1) and immediately after an 8-week period of FI (T2). Three native speakers served as a baseline group. Results failed to yield a significant effect of the FI period preceded by a SA term on informants’ VOTs. Proficiency level was examined too: it was found to play no significant role in the VOT production of participants. The effects of factors reported to influence VOT production such as speaking style, vowel height and place of articulation were also explored. Analyses revealed that they did significantly affect VOT production of voiceless stops for the non-native group. The native showed the same numerical tendency.