Articulatory and Acoustic Characteristics of the Korean and English Word-final Laterals Produced by Korean Female Learners of American English

Abstract

English [ɫ] exhibits retracted tongue dorsum and low F2 frequencies compared to Korean [l], but is frequently asserted to be perceptually similar to Korean [l] and therefore difficult for Korean learners to acquire due to articulatory transfer. This study examines the articulatory and acoustic characteristics of Korean and English word-final laterals produced by Korean learners. Korean learners' productions of English [ɫ] were systematically different from Korean [l], with retracted tongue dorsum and low F2 similar to L1 English [ɫ]. The findings suggest Korean learners form a distinct phonetic category for English [ɫ] rather than modifying an existing Korean category.