The effects of speech rate and pauses on L2 comprehension processes: An examination using VP-ellipsis sentences

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00783
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02100:Foreign language education-related
• Research Institution: Osaka Kyoiku University
• Principal Investigator: Hashimoto Ken-ichi 大阪教育大学, 教育学部, 准教授 (20581036)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 文理解 / 動詞句省略文 / Cross-modal priming task / 話速 / ポーズ / リスニング / 外国語

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To examine how speech rate and pause length affect the comprehension processes of L2 VP-ellipsis sentences, a cross-modal priming task was conducted. This task involved two types of speech rates for the VP-ellipsis sentence presentation: normal speed and approximately 80% of normal speed. Additionally, two pause lengths between clauses were used: 300ms and 700ms, creating four conditions in total. The results showed that semantic priming effects were observed when the pauses were short at normal speed and when the pauses were long at 80% of normal speed. This suggests that there is an appropriate pause length corresponding to the speech rate, and comprehension processes are facilitated when these are matched.

Free Research Field

英語教育学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

英語教育における理論と実践の往還が近年重要視されているが、本研究は日本語母語英語学習者がリスニングのトレーニングを行う際に、素材となる音声のスピード面でどのような調整をすることが適切・必要かを、心理言語学研究に基づく行動心理実験の結果から検討しようとするものである。今後さらに多くのデータを集めることで、学習者のより一般的な傾向の把握が可能となり、より的確な英語学習素材の作成へとつながることが期待できる。