第二言語習得研究からみた発音習得とその可能性についての一考察 : 臨界期仮説と外国語訛りを中心に

概要

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It has widely been believed that when it comes to learning a new language as asecond/foreign language,"the younger the better"is the rule that applies. On the otherhand, recent studies have demonstrated that although younger learners may have anadvantage in mastering native-like pronunciation, adults might actually learn second/foreign languages more easily and quickly than younger learners in such areas asvocabulary acquisition and syntax.The claim that an authentic pronunciation of a second/foreign language isunattainable after a certain age has been supported by certain kinds of evidence.However, at the same time, it is also true that there are, in actuality, some individualswho have acquired a native-like accent even after the so-called "critical period."With this conflicting evidence in mind, in this paper, I will discuss theprobability of obtaining native-like phonological performance by reviewing the existingempirical and theoretical literature on Second Language Acquisition, especially thatwhich focuses on the Critical Period Hypothesis and foreign accent. In addition, I willconsider the viability of direct phonological instruction as a subject in school basedon the information and insights gained through this review of key studies in the field.