Investigating the Influence of Non-Target Word Shadowing on Speech Convergence

Abstract

This study explores whether an L2 learner modifies the acoustic values in L2 speech even after they shadow non-target speech stimuli produced by a native speaker. In order to test this research question, we ran an experiment, in which Japanese English learners read aloud a set of target words in the pre-shadowing and post-shadowing sessions, and they shadowed a different set of words in the shadowing session. The target group participants shadowed English utterances, and the control group participants shadowed Japanese utterances. Our statistical results suggest that both the groups converged towards English speakers in terms of VOT values to a little extent, regardless of which type of speech stimuli they were exposed to during the shadowing session.