The Positive and Negative Effects of Tonal L1 on the Acquisition of Tonal L2: A Case of the Standard Thai Tones and the Chinese Zhuang Learners
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| Title: | The Positive and Negative Effects of Tonal L1 on the Acquisition of Tonal L2: A Case of the Standard Thai Tones and the Chinese Zhuang Learners |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Phonphanich, Siriluck H., Burusphat, Somsonge |
| Source: | LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network. Jul-Dec 2021 14(2):28-58. |
| Availability: | Language Institute of Thammasat University. The Prachan Campus, 2 Prachan Road, Bangkok 10200 Thailand. e-mail: learnjournal@gmail.com; Web site: https://www.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/learn |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 31 |
| Publication Date: | 2021 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Thai, Chinese, Tone Languages, Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Syllables, Phonemes, Word Lists, Foreign Countries, College Students, Females, Phonology, Accuracy, Error Patterns, Acoustics |
| Geographic Terms: | China |
| ISSN: | 2630-0672 |
| Abstract: | This study is a case study of the effects of tonal L1 on the acquisition of tonal L2, comparing two groups of tonal L1 learners, namely, Chinese Zhuang (C+Z) and Chinese non-Zhuang (C-Z) in the same classroom. The two groups of learners read aloud 60 words from a Thai wordlist, then their tone production was analyzed in two dimensions. The phonological analysis focused on tone error patterns while the acoustic analysis focused on the fundamental frequency (F0) compared to the Thai native speakers. The Praat Program was employed for the acoustic part. The analysis of tone errors showed positively that the C+Z group had higher rates of accuracy than the C-Z group, arguably due to their familiarity with Tai tone patterns, with no confusion stemming from Zhuang tone patterns. Contrastingly, the phonetic characteristics findings showed negatively that the C+Z group shared less similar production with Thai native speakers group than the C-Z group's ones, arguably due to L1 interference. The current study confirmed both positive and negative effects of tonal L1 on the acquisition of L2 tones. Therefore, tonal problems should be investigated closely and identified clearly for the efficiency and effectiveness of tone acquisition training. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2021 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1310922 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This study is a case study of the effects of tonal L1 on the acquisition of tonal L2, comparing two groups of tonal L1 learners, namely, Chinese Zhuang (C+Z) and Chinese non-Zhuang (C-Z) in the same classroom. The two groups of learners read aloud 60 words from a Thai wordlist, then their tone production was analyzed in two dimensions. The phonological analysis focused on tone error patterns while the acoustic analysis focused on the fundamental frequency (F0) compared to the Thai native speakers. The Praat Program was employed for the acoustic part. The analysis of tone errors showed positively that the C+Z group had higher rates of accuracy than the C-Z group, arguably due to their familiarity with Tai tone patterns, with no confusion stemming from Zhuang tone patterns. Contrastingly, the phonetic characteristics findings showed negatively that the C+Z group shared less similar production with Thai native speakers group than the C-Z group's ones, arguably due to L1 interference. The current study confirmed both positive and negative effects of tonal L1 on the acquisition of L2 tones. Therefore, tonal problems should be investigated closely and identified clearly for the efficiency and effectiveness of tone acquisition training. |
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| ISSN: | 2630-0672 |
