Do Polish learners of English change their voice quality when speaking in the L2? – A cross-language electroglottographic study

Abstract

Most research into second language (L2) speech deals with segmental phonetics. We consider implications of L2 learning on the quality of the voice itself, since there is evidence that individual languages adopt language-specific voice quality parameters. We present electroglottographic data from advanced Polish learners of English in both L1 and L2. The results of our study suggest that speakers adopt new voice qualities in an L2, although not in any consistent direction. Further research will determine the extent to which this is a function of individual differences, or whether phonation properties may constitute an additional target for L2 acquisition, even in L2s without phonological phonation contrasts.