Auditory memory and proficiency of second language speaking: a latent variable analysis approach

Previous studies of second language aptitude have mainly used verbal stimuli in memory tasks. Memory for musical stimuli has not been used in aptitude studies although music and language have structural similarity. In this study, 30 Japanese university students who speak English as a second language (19 men, M=21.3 yr., SD=1.8) participated in the experiment as volunteers. They performed verbal memory tasks, musical memory tasks, and English pronunciation tasks. Factor analysis indicated that verbal and musical memory abilities are better represented as a unitary factor rather than two independent factors. Further, a path analysis supported the hypothesis that the memory for both verbal and musical tasks affects proficiency of second language pronunciation, including prosodic features such as stress in word or intonation through a couple of sentences. The memory factor was interpreted as reflecting the performance of "auditory working memory."