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Investigating Second Language Pronunciation Anxiety in the Japanese Context

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Investigating Individual Learner Differences in Second Language Learning

Part of the book series: Second Language Learning and Teaching ((SLLT))

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Abstract

This study investigates L2 pronunciation anxiety in a specific EFL environment to demonstrate that such anxiety is partly context-dependent. L2 anxiety has been primarily studied as a negative affective reaction and L2 use can be an unsettling experience, as it could threaten learners’ perception of themselves and the world. Past studies have been mostly quantitative, investigating the intensity, and have linked it to rather stable learner characteristics such as personality traits. As such, these studies have fallen short of exploring the ebbs and flows of the negative emotive reactions, which could be influenced by interpersonal and social factors in immediate contexts. The present chapter reports the findings of a study with 64 Japanese university students on their concerns over pronunciation learning. Their focused essays and subsequent interviews demonstrated that quite a few students became conscious about their pronunciation, wondering whether to speak with a “better” English accent or conform to the marked norm of the specific speech community. They prioritized social belonging over learning and the decision created self-doubt and anxiety. Thus, L2 pronunciation anxiety likely comes from self-presentational concerns. Some other sources of anxiety are also discussed and the need is highlighted for develo** a comprehensive model of L2 pronunciation anxiety which would include both immediate and distant factors.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (for Young Scientists) 18K12457.

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  1. Miyagi Gakuin Women’s University, Sendai, Japan

    Harumi Kimura

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  1. Harumi Kimura
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  1. Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts, Adam Mickiewicz University, Kalisz, Wielkopolskie, Poland

    Mirosław Pawlak

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Kimura, H. (2021). Investigating Second Language Pronunciation Anxiety in the Japanese Context. In: Pawlak, M. (eds) Investigating Individual Learner Differences in Second Language Learning. Second Language Learning and Teaching. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75726-7_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75726-7_4

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