A Study of Voiced Alveolar and Palato-alveolar Fricative Production by Korean Learners of English

Abstract

This study explores the production of voiced alveolar and palato-alveolar fricatives by Korean learners of English. A production experiment of minimal pairs with /z, з/ was conducted with Korean learners of English and native English speakers. The results indicated Korean learners' use of acoustic cues were different from that of native English speakers in their discrimination of minimal pairs. In one pair, Korean learners of English did not make distinctions at all. Segmental error patterns of Korean learners of English attested a preference of one pattern over the other: vowel insertion or affrication.