A production-based study of the Korean liquid in onset position

Misun Seo 한국음운론학회 2004 음성·음운·형태론 연구 Vol.10 No.2

Phonological theorists working on Korean has frequently assumed that there is aprohibition against a lateral consonant in syllable onset position (Iverson and Kim1987, Han 1993, Suh 1993, Yoo 1996, Lee 2001). It has also been claimed that due to this prohibition, an underlying liquid in recent loan words is realized as a flap, not as a lateral in onset position (Yoo 1996, Lee 2001). Based on the results from production experiments, this paper argues against the view that the prohibition against a lateral in syllable onset position is active in loan words. According to our production experiments, an underlying liquid was realized as a lateral in most loan words. The results from production experiments also suggest that the prohibittion against a lateral is still strongly active in Sino-Korean words. According to our production experiments which included Sino-Korean words with /pL/, /kL/, /mL/,and /NL/, a lateral surfaced in onset position in a very small number of cases. In addition, by showing that /nL/ can be realized as either [ll] or [nn], the experiment results support Seo’s (2001a, 2001b, 2002) prediction on the direction of assimilation in /nL/.

The Relation between Lexical Knowledge and L2 Production of English /z/-/ʒ/

( Seo Misun ),( Lim Jayeon ) 한국현대영어영문학회 2018 현대영어영문학 Vol.62 No.4

This study examined Korean learners’ production of English /z/-/ʒ/ contrast. In doing so, the acoustic measurements such as centroid frequency (CF), peak amplitude frequency (PAF) and friction ratio of a target fricative within a word were compared between native English speakers and Korean learners at three different proficiency levels in English (i.e., low, intermediate and high). It was found that Korean learners exhibited different patterns regarding friction ratio of /z/ and /ʒ/ depending on their proficiency levels in English. In general, the low and intermediate groups illustrated significantly lower friction ratio than the high and native English groups. On the other hand, there were no significant differences of CF and PAF among the four groups, indicating that Korean learners were able to pronounce places of articulation of /z/ and /ʒ/ like native English speakers regardless of their proficiency levels. In addition, a significant relationship between Korean learners’ production of /z/-/ʒ/ and lexical knowledge was found in the high group’s production of /z/. CF and PAF of /z/ were higher for the tokens with no lexical knowledge than the ones with lexical knowledge, suggesting that the high group pronounced /z/ included in the tokens with no lexical knowledge in a more front region, possibly as the result of hyperarticulation. (Hannam University, University of Seoul)

A Speech Perception-Based Study of the Patterning of Sonorants in Consonant Clusters

Seo, Misun 한국음성과학회 2004 음성과학 Vol.11 No.4

This study explores sound alternations in a consonant cluster in which at least one consonant is a sonorant (a son/C cluster, hereafter). In this study, I argue that phonological processes affecting son/C clusters result from low perceptual salience rather than from the Syllable Contact Law as discussed in Vennemann (1988), Clements (1990), Rice & Avery (1991), Baertsch & Davis (2000), among others. That is, as a main factor motivating the alternations in the cluster, I consider contrasts of weak perceptibility triggered by phonetic similarity between two members of a cluster (Kawasaki 1982, Ohala 1992, 1993). Based on the findings from a typological survey in 31 different languages, I show that a speech perception-based account makes a correct prediction regarding the patterning of sonorant/sonorant sequences and that of obstruent/sonorant sequences, while the syllable contact account does not.

An Acoustic Study of English Voiced Sibilants: Correct vs. Incorrect L2 Production

Seo, Misun,Lim, Jayeon The English Teachers Association in Korea 2011 영어어문교육 Vol.17 No.4

The present study analyzed Korean learners' production of English /z/-/$d{\Box}$/ and /z/-/${\Box}$/ contrasts in terms of native speaker judgments and acoustic measurements. Korean learner's production was judged to be either correct or incorrect by native English speakers. Correct and incorrect productions were then compared with productions of native speakers' in terms of acoustic analyses. The results indicated that Korean speakers' correct production was more similar to that of native speakers by sharing more acoustic cues. Incorrect production by Korean speakers indicated patterns either different or opposite from that of native speakers, confirming native speaker judgments. The results also revealed acoustic cues on which native speakers rely in judging L2 speech, thereby implying that the more consistent along with more number of acoustic cues used by native speakers may facilitate the acquisition of segment contrasts by L2 learners.

Perceptual Discrimination of Sibilants by Adult Korean Learners of English

Misun Seo,Jayeon Lim 한국응용언어학회 2008 응용 언어학 Vol.24 No.3

This study explores the L2 perception of English sibilants by Korean learners by investigating their discrimination of non-sense words. An experiment was conducted with reaction times and accuracy as dependent variables, with accuracy scores converted into sensitivity (d") values. In doing so, the study explored the influence of the factors such as voicing (voiced/voiceless), vowel types (/a, i, u/), positions of sibilants within words (word-initial prevocalic, intervocalic, word-final postvocalic) and learners" proficiency levels in L2 (low, intermediate and advanced). The results indicated that voicing, vowel types, position significantly influences learners" reaction times and accuracy as measured by d" values. Proficiency level was a significant factor in the accuracy analysis. In addition, several significant interactions between factors were observed, indicating that multiple factors are at play in L2 perception of sibilants.

The influence of speech perception on French nasal vowel adaptation in Korean and English

Misun Seo,Ye-Seul Park 한국음운론학회 2011 음성·음운·형태론 연구 Vol.17 No.3

When a French nasal vowel is borrowed into Korean and English, it is adapted as an oral vowel followed by a nasal consonant. When this process called ‘unpacking’ occurs, the nasal consonant following an oral vowel is realized as /ŋ/ in Korean and as /n/, /m/ or /ŋ/ in English. In this study we examine the role of speech perception on such different place realization patterns of a nasal consonant in Korean and English during the unpacking of a French nasal vowel. Results of a categorization experiment with Korean and English listeners conducted in this study indicate that the influence of speech perception plays a role but that speech perception is not the only factor affecting French nasal vowel adaptation. In addition to speech perception, other factors such as orthography and phonemic uniformity are found to be in play in the adaptation of a French nasal vowel in Korean and English.

On the Perception of English Cw Clusters

Misun Seo,Eun-Sook Kim,John Stonham 한국언어과학회 2009 언어과학 Vol.16 No.3

The Role of Perceptual Ability and Lexical Knowledge in L2 Sound Production

( Misun Seo ),( Jayeon Lim ) 글로벌영어교육학회(구 호남영어교육학회) 2018 Studies in English education Vol.23 No.2

This study examined the relationship between L2 sound production and perceptual ability/lexical knowledge through the analysis of Korean learners’ production of English /s/ and /∫/ measured by friction ratio, Centroid Frequency (CF), and Peak Amplitude Frequency (PAF). It was found that Korean learners’ perceptual ability of the sounds were related to their production. Friction ratio for /s/ and /∫/ was significantly longer for the accurately perceived tokens than for the inaccurately perceived tokens. Korean learners’ production of /s/ and /∫/ was also related to Korean learners’ lexical knowledge of English tokens. Even when English tokens were perceived accurately by Korean learners, their production of /s/ and /∫/ showed different patterns depending on whether the tokens had accurate or inaccurate lexical knowledge. Finally, Korean learners’ production of English /s/ and /∫/ showed the influence of L1 phonology and proficiency level in English.

Korean Learners’ Production of English Consonant Clusters with an Onset Liquid

( Misun Seo ) 범태평양 응용언어학회 2021 범태평양응용언어학회지 Vol.25 No.2

This study examined Korean learners’ production of intervocalic English biconsonantal clusters consisting of /p/, /t/, /k/, /m/, /n/, or /□/ followed by /l/ or /□/. The results of the production experiment showed several factors influencing Korean learners’ production. First, Korean learners’ production was influenced by their L1 sound inventory. The mispronunciation of a liquid (i.e., /l/ as [□] and /□/ as [l]) was observed and this will be due to the fact that [l] and [□] are not contrastive in Korean. Second, L1 phonological rules affecting a post-consonantal onset liquid influenced Korean learners’ production of English consonant clusters containing a liquid. The cluster /tl/ was mostly pronounced as [ll] and /nl/ as [ll] or [nn]. In addition, the nasalization of a stop consonant before a liquid was attested. Next, Korean learners’ production also exhibited the influence of phonetic similarity between the two members of a cluster by illustrating relatively lower production accuracy for /tl/, /t□/, and /nl/ consisting of two alveolar consonants. Finally, familiarity with the test words seemed to be a factor influencing Korean learners’ production. Korean learners illustrated relatively lower production accuracy for the words outlet and online which are frequently used as loanwords in Korea.

Perceptual Vowel Insertion in English-based Nonsense Words by Korean Learners

Misun Seo,Jayeon Lim 한국영어학회 2015 영어학 Vol.15 No.1