Advances in Language and Literary Studies - Investigation into Korean EFL Learners’ Acquisition of English /s/ + Consonant Onset Clusters - Abstract

Oct 15, 2026

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This paper investigated the phonological acquisition of English /s/ + consonant onset clusters by Korean learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) across different proficiency levels. Data were collected from twenty Korean secondary school eighth-graders divided into low- and high-achievement groups. Findings show the high-achievement group avoided vowel epenthesis, produced longer /s/ durations, and exhibited shorter oral closure than the low-achievement group. Perceptual results indicate /s/ + stop + liquid related more strongly to proficiency than biliteral onset clusters, with /s/ + stop and /s/ + liquid differing significantly, unlike the /s/ + nasal cluster.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Theoretical Background

Cross-linguistic differences in syllable structures

Advances in Language and Literary Studies ISSN: 2203-4714 Vol. 7 No. 2; April 2016 Australian International Academic Centre, Australia | | | | | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | Flourishing Creativity & Literacy | | | | | | Investigation into Korean EFL Learners’ Acquisition of English /s/ + Consonant Onset Clusters Jungyoun Choi Department of English Education, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea [E-mail: youn4865@snu.ac.kr](E-mail: youn4865@snu.ac.kr) Doi:10.7575/aiac.alls.v.7n.2p.48 URL: [http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.7n.2p.48](http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.7n.2p.48) Received: 16/11/2015 Accepted: 11/01/2016 Abstract This paper investigated the phonological acquisition of English /s/ + consonant onset clusters by Korean learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) who varied in their levels of proficiency. The data were collected from twenty eighth-graders in a Korean secondary school, who were divided into two groups according to their proficiency: lowand high-achievement. The major findings were: 1) the high-achievement group did not use a vowel epenthesis strategy in the articulation of the /s/ + consonant onset cluster, unlike the low-achievement group; 2) the duration of /s/ pronunciation was longer in the high-achievement group, as follows: /s/ + stop + liquid, /s/ + stop, /s/ + liquid; 3) the low-achievement group’s duration of oral closure was longer than was that of the high-achievement group, as follows:/s/ + stop + liquid, s/ + stop, and 4) with regard to how /s/ + consonant onset clusters are perceived by native English speakers, /s/ + stop + liquid was related more significantly to the learners’ level of proficiency than were the biliteral consonant onset clusters. Among biliteral onsets, /s/ + stop and /s/ + liquid clusters differed significantly between the groups, while the /s/ + nasal cluster did not. Keywords: English /s/ + consonant onset clusters, L1 transfer, the sonority sequencing principle, syllable structure, L2 phonological acquisition 1. Introduction As influenced by two primary approaches, first language (L1) transfer and markedness effects, the question pertaining to how certain phonological structures are produced by second language (L2) learners has been raised frequently. Specifically, with respect to consonant clusters, earlier research of L1 transfer assumed that transfer leads to consonant cluster simplification (Broselow, 1984; Lado, 1957; Major, 2001) . Expanding on the conformity with L1 syllable structures, a number of later scholars emphasized that L2 speakers of English simplify consonant clustering to conform to universal linguistic principles (Klove & Young-Scholten, 2008; Osburne, 1996) . Among consonant cluster types, the segment /s/ is especially noteworthy. /s/ is often regarded as having similar phonetic features across languages that leads to positive transfer (Koffi, 2011) . Nonetheless, the pronunciation of /s/ in complex onset clusters is a tremendous challenge for L2 learners of English, because no two languages pronounce complex /s/ onset clusters in an identical manner due to the different phonotactic constraints of languages (Duanmu , 2002; Sperbeck, 2010) . This situation also holds true for Korean and English. /s/ appears in a wide array of phonological environments in English, but not in Korean, as the latter does not allow consonant clusters within a syllable. In addition, many of the /s/ distribution patterns in English, unlike those in Korean, violate the Sonority Sequencing Principle. Thus far, little attention has been given to the way in which L2 speakers of English apply these rules that govern the pronunciations of the English /s/ in complex onset clusters. The majority of the previous literature that has investigated consonant clusters concerns modification strategies, such as consonant cluster deletion and vowel epenthesis. The order of acquisition of English consonant clusters (Yoo, 20

FAQs

What did the study examine about Korean EFL learners’ pronunciation?

The study examined how Korean EFL learners acquire English /s/ + consonant onset clusters, focusing on differences across proficiency levels and specific cluster types.

How did high-achievement and low-achievement groups differ in producing /s/ + consonant clusters?

The high-achievement group did not use vowel epenthesis for /s/ + consonant onset clusters, unlike the low-achievement group, and showed different /s/ duration and oral closure patterns.

Which cluster type was most strongly linked to learners’ proficiency in native English perception?

/s/ + stop + liquid was more significantly related to learners’ proficiency than biliteral consonant onset clusters in native English speakers’ judgments.

Oct 15, 2026

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