Perceptual similarities between native and non-native tones.

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of L1 and L2 experience on the perceptual assimilation of non-native tones by native Mandarin or Thai listeners. Of these, 32 had 0.5–1.5 years of L2 learning experience while 40 had none. All listeners participated in a tonal assimilation task in which they first identified which tone in Mandarin or Thai sounded most similar to the Thai or Mandarin tone they heard, and then rated its goodness on a five point Likert scale. Stimuli included four Mandarin tones (high level, rising, falling-rising, and falling tones) and five Thai tones (mid, low-, falling, high-, and rising tones) on four monosyllables: /tuo/, /fej/, /kha/, /siau/, and a hum. The Thai listeners, regardless of L2 experience, assimilated more L1 tone categories to L2 than did the Mandarin listeners. Nonetheless, the experienced listeners from the two languages showed a high degree of consistency in terms of which tones were assimilated. The perceived similarities between native and non-native tones were not always predictable from their acoustic similarities, and varied with L1 and L2 experience. Results will be discussed in terms of some well-known perceptual assimilation models, such as PAM. [Work supported by GIS.]