The effect of second language orthographic input on the learning of Mandarin words

Abstract

This study examines the effect of L2 orthography on Mandarin word learning. English speakers at three proficiency levels participated in a Mandarin word-learning experiment. During the learning phase, half of the participants were provided with Pinyin (Chinese Romanization) and tone marks (the PY group), while the other half were provided with characters (the CH group). After learning, the participants judged the matching of sound and meaning of 64 pairs, half of which were matches, while the other half were either segmental or tonal-mismatch items. The results showed that the Advanced and Intermediate learners in the CH group were more accurate than their counterparts in the PY group in the tonal-mismatch and match conditions respectively. In contrast, the naive participants in the PY group were more accurate with the matches than those in the CH group. Also, participants in the PY group were overall inaccurate with the tonal-mismatch items regardless of their proficiency levels. However, in the CH group...