The effect of experience and tonal contour: A preliminary study of perceived duration on Mandarin tones

Abstract

Mandarin tones are shown to be produced with different lengths (i.e., from longer to shorter: T3 > T2 > T1 > T4) (cf. Wu & Kenstowicz, 2015). An AX rating experiment in which Taiwan Mandarin listeners were asked to rate the relative durations of syllables ([pa], [pi], [ta], [ti]) manipulated into five different duration steps (290 ms, 320 ms, 350 ms, 380 ms, and 410 ms) in Mandarin tones (high-level T1, rising T2, dipping T3, reduced low-level T3, and falling T4) compared with an anchor stimulus ([pa] with 350 ms in mid-level tone) showed that the complex contour tone (T3) was rated as longer than simple contour tones (T2 and T4) and simple contour tones were rated as longer than level tones (T1 and reduced T3). Between the simple contour tones, T2 was rated as longer than T4. Between the level tones, the reduced T3 was rated as longer than T1. The explanations to these tonal perceptual differences are tied to the typological correlation between rime duration and the complexity of tonal targets (T3 > T2/T4 > T1/T3) (e.g., Zhang 2001) as well as to the listeners’ experience to the durations of different tones (T2 > T4 and reduced T3 > T1).Mandarin tones are shown to be produced with different lengths (i.e., from longer to shorter: T3 > T2 > T1 > T4) (cf. Wu & Kenstowicz, 2015). An AX rating experiment in which Taiwan Mandarin listeners were asked to rate the relative durations of syllables ([pa], [pi], [ta], [ti]) manipulated into five different duration steps (290 ms, 320 ms, 350 ms, 380 ms, and 410 ms) in Mandarin tones (high-level T1, rising T2, dipping T3, reduced low-level T3, and falling T4) compared with an anchor stimulus ([pa] with 350 ms in mid-level tone) showed that the complex contour tone (T3) was rated as longer than simple contour tones (T2 and T4) and simple contour tones were rated as longer than level tones (T1 and reduced T3). Between the simple contour tones, T2 was rated as longer than T4. Between the level tones, the reduced T3 was rated as longer than T1. The explanations to these tonal perceptual differences are tied to the typological correlation between rime duration and the complexity of tonal targets (T3 > T2/T...