The effect of theoretical assumptions on pedagogical methods: a case study of second language Chinese tones

Abstract

The acquisition of the third tone (T3) in Chinese is one of the most challenging tasks for adults who are learning Chinese as a second language. This paper looks at how assumptions made in theoretical linguistics shape current teaching methods, and investigates the effect of those teaching methods on the acquisition of tones. This study examines the perception and production of the three allophones of T3 by speakers of English who have been taught in the ‘Full‐T3 First’ method. By examining the performance of beginner, intermediate and advanced learners, this study proposes that seemingly contradictory phenomena observed in learners' tonal phonologies can be ascribed to the overproduction of Full‐T3. It is argued that this overproduction can be traced back to assumptions made within theoretical linguistics.