Abstract
Rhoticity is one of the most salient features of English accents, and it is therefore crucial for learners of English to resolve the issue of (non)rhoticity in their L2 English production. If speakers aim for a (non-)rhotic accent, to what degree is their spoken production (non)-rhotic? We surveyed the pronunciation of 24 Czech learners of English, differing in the level of proficiency and in the preferred pronunciation model (rhotic vs. non-rhotic).
The results of an auditory analysis confirmed a persistent presence of /r/ in all positions for less proficient speakers, whereas advanced learners demonstrated a lower degree of consistency and an inclination to the preferred accent model. However, although group results may suggest inconsistent treatment of rhoticity, the production of /r/ was in fact very consistent at the individual level, often attributable to background information from the participants.
Pedagogical implications are discussed.