Effects of language experience on prosodic realization of focus in Southern Min‐Mandarin bilinguals.

Abstract

The production of prosodic focus in Quanzhou Southern Min and Mandarin was examined in three groups of bilinguals: older (mean age 57.6), mid‐age (mean age 39.8), and younger (mean age 19.9). All groups learned Southern Min first, followed by Mandarin in childhood, but the groups varied in relative language use: the younger the group, the more the Mandarin use. Chen et al. [InterSpeech (2009)] reported Beijing Mandarin has post‐focus compression (PFC) of F0 and intensity, whereas Taiwanese (Taiwan Southern Min) and Taiwan Mandarin do not. Thus, Quanzhou bilinguals were expected not to exhibit PFC in Southern Min but may in their Mandarin production. Language experience is predicted to impact the production of PFC in the bilinguals. Specifically, bilinguals with more Mandarin use may show more PFC. The relative use of duration, intensity, and F0 in focused and pre‐focus words may also vary by the language spoken (Mandarin versus Southern Min) and the relative use of the two languages. Preliminary results with the younger group indicate Beijing‐like production for Mandarin and Taiwanese‐like production for Quanzhou Southern Min. Results of the other groups will be presented as well.