Production of voice onset time (VOT) by senior Polish learners of English

Jolanta Sypiańska

doi:10.1515/opli-2021-0016

Abstract

AbstractAlthough research on foreign language learning among seniors has recently accelerated, studies on L2 phonology in this age group remain scarce. Seniors may be at a great disadvantage when it comes to learning the sounds of a foreign language because age of onset has been shown to correlate negatively with ultimate attainment especially for phonology (Piske et al. 2001). However, this is all the more reason to attempt a better understanding of the mechanisms of senior. This paper offers an attempt at shedding light on how senior learners with an age of L2 onset above 60 produce voiced and voiceless L2 word-initial stops. Twenty L1 Polish senior learners of English were asked to read a list of words containing word-initial voiced and voiceless plosives in their L2 English at A2+/B1 level according to CEFR. The results show that the senior Polish learners of English produce an in-between category for the English stops (with VOT longer than for Polish, but shorter than native English). The senior learners also experienced L1 drift, but mostly in the voiceless L1 Polish stops.

Highlights

IntroductionSeniors who retire have the means, health, vigour and need to stay active
As societies age, seniors who retire have the means, health, vigour and need to stay active
The mean results for L2 English showed greater Voice Onset Time (VOT) for the voiceless series (Table 2; apart from the slightly lower VOT for the velar stop), and on average, 26 ms shorter prevoicing in the voiced series when compared to the participants’ L1 Polish productions

Summary

Introduction

Seniors who retire have the means, health, vigour and need to stay active. The demand for classes targeted at senior learners is on the rise. That is why senior learners and lifelong learning have recently been brought into the limelight of foreign language learning research. One of the areas in senior foreign language learning that continues to be unexplored is research on L2 phonology. Flege and Fletcher 1992; Flege et al 1995; Moyer 1999; Piske et al 2001), senior learners appear to be at a great disadvantage compared to children, but even younger adults when it comes to mastering the L2 sound system. It is important to attempt a better understanding of the mechanisms of senior L2 phonology learning on the basis of which adequate learning programmes and materials can be designed

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Conclusion