A Categorical Perceptual Study on Mandarin Tones by native Dai language speakers in Dehong Autonomous Prefecture

Abstract

This paper is intended to investigate how the Dai Dialect speakers in Dehong Autonomous Prefecture perceive Mandarin tones. Therefore, identification and discrimination experiments were conducted of the four Mandarin tone continua with Dai Language speakers. The results suggested that the Dai Language speaker’s perception mode of T1-T2 and T2-T4 continua are Categorical Perception, but for T1-T3, T2-T3, T3-T4 and T1-T4 continua are not. These findings indicated that Dai language tone system does have a significant influence on participants’ perception of Mandarin tones.