Captioning for Clarity: Mastering Stress with Word-Based vs. Phonetic Video Transcriptions

This study explores an understudied aspect of video captioning in language learning: the use of phonetic transcription. While extensive research has examined the effects of traditional word-based captioning, the potential benefits of phonetic transcription captions remain largely unexplored. To address this knowledge gap, a quasi-experimental study was conducted comparing two captioning conditions: traditional word-based captions and phonetic transcription captions. Two groups of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners were purposively selected based on their course enrollment, with participants volunteering for the study. The control group viewed videos with standard word captions, while the experimental group watched videos captioned with phonetic transcriptions. Pre- and post-tests were administered to assess improvements in word stress pronunciation. The results revealed no statistically significant difference between the post-test scores of the control and experimental groups. This suggests that both captioning methods - words and phonetic transcription - positively impact stress pronunciation learning. The findings indicate that enhanced stress pronunciation may contribute to overall language intelligibility and fluency, potentially leading to improved language learning outcomes. This study opens avenues for future research on the application of phonetic transcription in other areas of pronunciation, such as intonation and connected speech.