The acquisition of pronunciation in a second language by adults is often described in physiological and cognitive terms. In this article it is argued that the acquisition of pronunciation is a complex process combining psysiological and cognitive aspects with interactional and individual aspects and developing over time. A major focus is on the learners´ motivation for acquiring the second language and on the interplay between the learners´ motivation, acquisition and interactional experience framed by a wider socio-political perspective.