Doing Learning of L2 Pronunciation in Media Interaction

Abstract

This study offers a contribution to the growing body of research on informal language learning by demonstrating how second language (L2) pronunciation learning can emerge within media-mediated contexts. Drawing on unscripted interaction from a Korean reality TV show, the study expands the scope of L2 research beyond classroom instruction to include casual, socially embedded talk in travel-based environments. While previous conversation analysis for second language acquisition (CA-SLA) studies have primarily examined learning as a response to interactional trouble or within pedagogical settings, this study addresses a gap by investigating how learning can occur even in the absence of such trouble. Through conversation analysis, this study highlights how participants create learning opportunities by topicalizing others’ pronunciation or by requesting translations for phrases whose meanings are already known—not merely for the sake of learning, but as to develop resources for accomplishing other social actions, such as making a service request or offering a compliment. The analysis further shows that alignment between participants’ instructional orientations supports short-term development, while disalignment—often shaped by competing social goals—can hinder learning. By demonstrating how learning unfolds in a Korean reality TV show, this study argues that media interaction is a valuable yet underexplored site for revealing how participants co-construct learning opportunities—thereby deepening our understanding of how L2 learning emerges through interaction.