Abstract
In this paper, I review previous studies on the acquisition of geminate consonants by Japanese language learners. The cross-linguistic observations reveal that the characteristics seen in the process of acquisition of Japanese geminate consonants cannot be explained neither by the Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis nor Markedness Differential Hypothesis. Finally, I claim that understanding the rhythmic organization of learners' first language and their pronunciation of Japanese as a second language, is essential to capture the reality of the acquisition of Japanese geminate consonants. The paper also discusses the methodological issues concerning durational measurements to investigate rhythmic organization of languages for future study.
