Abstract:

Previous research in L2 perception has shown limited and diverge findings for final stop voicing contrasts by learners with different L1 backgrounds in comparison to natives of the target language. This paper aimed to investigate L2 learners’ perceptual identification of voicing in English final stops based on the duration of succeeding vowel, and the impact of prior linguistic expertise in establishing L2 phonetic category as learners’ level of proficiency develop. The subjects were adult Arabic L2 learners (N = 9) with different proficiency levels (advance, intermediate, & beginners). The subjects' performance was later compared to controlled native English group (N = 3). Data were elicited through listening to stimuli in one task that contained three controlled conditions and one test condition. The analysis employed descriptive statistics, and one-way ANOVA. The findings showed that as the subjects' proficiency level developed, their accuracy in identifying final stops voicing increase. It also showed the possibility of establishing L2 phonetic category that seemed developed in correspond to the development of L2 proficiency level. The results illustrate the systematic processing of L2 sounds which have implications for theories in L2 perception. 

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