Lexical representations can rapidly be updated in the early stages of second-language word learning

•Form-focused training shows an initial benefit for learning confusable L2 words.•Benefit of form-focused training is constrained by task demands and input properties.•Lexical representations can rapidly be updated to reflect phonological improvement.•L1-accented input might hinder the lexical encoding of difficult L2 contrasts. Encoding second-language (L2) phonological contrasts into lexical representations is known to be challenging above and beyond the perceptual difficulties that these contrasts may entail. In two experiments, this study assessed the effect of form-focused training during word learning on the lexical encoding of the English /ɛ/-/æ/ contrast into novel L2 minimal pairs (e.g., tendek-tandek) by German learners of English. More specifically, we investigated whether the point in time in which form-focused training is administered (i.e., very first presentation vs. after one training session) determines learners’ success at distinguishing the two vowels in the novel words. In Experiment 1, only native English tokens were presented whereas, in Experiment 2, productions by a fellow German-accented learner of English were also included. Results revealed an early benefit of phonologically-focused training on lexical encoding and novel word recognition (Experiment 1) that nonetheless appeared to be constrained by the demands of the task and the properties of the input presented (Experiment 2). Most importantly, however, learners’ ultimate word recognition performance provided evidence that early lexical representations can rapidly be updated to reflect improvements in phonological knowledge.