ERIC Number: EJ1416985
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1461-0213
EISSN: EISSN-1570-5595
Available Date: N/A
Tonal Intelligibility within a Paragraph Analyzing Polish Mandarin Learners' Tone Production
Man-Ni Chu; Ewa Zajdler; Hui-Wen Lin
AILA Review, v36 n2 p211-230 2023
This study considers the performance of tone pronunciation and morpheme intelligibility by L2 Polish Mandarin learners. A mixed-effects ordinal regression model and Tukey's HSD multiple test were used to examine the start-point, end-point, of syllables as a means of assessing their intelligibility by L2 Polish learners regarding the tones with the sequence T0, T1, T2, T4 > T3 and T0, T1> T2, T4 > T3, respectively. Students' tone pronunciation at different stages of learning was compared, i.e. first at less than A1 level of proficiency and then after achieving an A2 level of proficiency according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), with the interval of a 22-week intensive Chinese class. The results suggest that in the case of the steady pitch produced for T0 and T1, L2 Polish learners found it easy to control the vibration speed of the vocal folds over two stages. Additionally, progress in successfully producing T4 was exhibited with improving control over the individual tonal register span, implying that competent tonal production develops with time. It remains unclear whether the reason why the low-range T3 is acquired last is down to the habitually high pitched range of spoken Polish, or a more universally observable phenomenon where T3 is liable to be confused with other tones in production.
Descriptors: Polish, Intonation, Suprasegmentals, Speech Communication, Intelligibility, Pronunciation, Morphemes, Language Proficiency, Comparative Analysis, Intensive Language Courses, Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Native Language, Mandarin Chinese, Multilingualism, Rating Scales, Guidelines, Foreign Countries, Oral Reading, Majors (Students), Undergraduate Students
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Europe
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
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