THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SPEAKING RATE AND VOICE ONSET TIME OF VOICELESS PLOSIVES IN THE INTERLANGUAGE OF SERBIAN AND ENGLISH

Based on previous research, it is well known that the speaking rate affects the modifications of articulatory movements, especially the acoustic and articulatory characteristics of vowels and consonants. The aforementioned influence is especially prominent in the interlanguage phonological system. Bearing this in mind, the present paper investigates the variability of the voice onset time (VOT) of English voiceless plosives in accented initial position in relation to the speaking rate of Serbian students of English as a foreign language. The sample comprised a total of thirty EFL students at two proficiency levels: B1 (intermediate) and C1 (advanced) of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The results of the measurements showed that the respondents articulated the velar plosive with the longest VOT, which is in accordance with previous research performed on native speakers (Cho, Ladefoged 1999). However, significant variability of the measurements of VOT was observed, which testifies to the dynamics of an interlanguage system and the complex process of acquiring the sounds of a foreign language, which is highly idiosyncratic. Comparing the speakers individually, as well as the average values of VOT, it was shown that the values are higher in the group with a higher level of proficiency (C1). The differences between groups were statistically significant for the VOT measurements of the velar plosive, but also for the speaking rate. Namely, the C1 group had a significantly faster speaking rate than the B1 participants, which is understandable given the higher range of vocabulary and grammar, as well as the self-confidence resulting from longer speaking practice. As for the relationship between speaking rate and VOT, a statistically significant correlation was found only for the B1 group, while it was absent for the C1 group. A possible explanation lies in the idiosyncrasy and complexity of the interlanguage phonological system, but also in the selection of examples for analysis. In addition to potential explanations of the observed variability of results, the paper also emphasises relevant pedagogical implications.