Frequency-influenced choice of L2 sound realization and perception: evidence from two Chinese dialects

The study of second language speech perception usually put L1-L2 phonological mapping as the rule of thumb in predicting learning outcome, and seldom included more fine-grained aspects such as frequency. This study examines how frequency of sounds in L1 may influence L2 segmental production and perception, with examples from English learners native to two Chinese dialects, Cantonese and Sichuanese. Although these two dialects (L1s) have very similar phonological inventory, they produce certain L2 sounds in drastic difference. Productions of English voiceless interdental fricative and central liquid in the onset position were obtained in free speech from the two dialects ’ speakers in vast phonological environments. Then, perception tests, including AX and oddity tasks, were done for these two groups of speakers as well. Results showed that the two English sounds were respectively realized as different sounds in Cantonese and Sichuanese L1, which was reflected by both production and perception data. Findings suggest that L2 category formation is frequency-motivated instead of markedness-motivated, and is significantly influenced by the functional load of L1 sound input. Findings further imply that a quantitative and frequency-sensitive learning model is more suitable for L2 sound acquisition.

Personality, Category, and Cross-Linguistic Speech Sound Processing: A Connectivistic View

Category formation of human perception is a vital part of cognitive ability. The disciplines of neuroscience and linguistics, however, seldom mention it in the marrying of the two. The present study reviews the neurological view of language acquisition as normalization of incoming speech signal, and attempts to suggest how speech sound category formation may connect personality with second language speech perception. Through a questionnaire, (being thick or thin) ego boundary, a correlate found to be related to category formation, was proven a positive indicator of personality types. Following the qualitative study, thick boundary and thin boundary English learners native in Cantonese were given a speech-signal perception test using an ABX discrimination task protocol. Results showed that thick-boundary learners performed significantly lower in accuracy rate than thin-boundary learners. It was implied that differences in personality do have an impact on language learning

Personality, Category, and Cross-Linguistic Speech Sound Processing: A Connectivistic View

Category formation of human perception is a vital part of cognitive ability. The disciplines of neuroscience and linguistics, however, seldom mention it in the marrying of the two. The present study reviews the neurological view of language acquisition as normalization of incoming speech signal, and attempts to suggest how speech sound category formation may connect personality with second language speech perception. Through a questionnaire, (being thick or thin) ego boundary, a correlate found to be related to category formation, was proven a positive indicator of personality types. Following the qualitative study, thick boundary and thin boundary English learners native in Cantonese were given a speech-signal perception test using an ABX discrimination task protocol. Results showed that thick-boundary learners performed significantly lower in accuracy rate than thin-boundary learners. It was implied that differences in personality do have an impact on language learning

Percepciones de los escritores de L2 sobre revisión por pares de manera cara a cara y anónima: Datos de China

To validate a recent study conducted in the Japanese context that contradicted the previously held view that Asian students are culturally predisposed to be reluctant peer reviewers, this study examined Chinese EFL learners’ experiences with and perspectives on peer review in a writing classroom. Fifty-seven college students were asked to perform peer review in face-to-face and anonymous modes to examine whether anonymising the process encourages them to offer more constructive criticism. Data were collected from a Likert-based survey, interviews, and the instructor’s field notes. Statistical analysis of the survey data only partially supported the findings of the study replicated, indicating Chinese students’ preference for both face-to-face and anonymous review modes. Although most of the participants exhibited resistance to peer review during the initial stage, they began to appreciate the benefits of the activity, particularly the verbal discussion component of the face-to-face mode, while some of them refused to give negative feedback on their peers’ work. Regardless of the peer-review mode, the participants remained overly conscious of their feedback accuracy and continued to seek confirmation and oversight from an authority figure (the teacher) rather than taking initiative.Para verificar un reciente estudio realizado en el contexto japonés de EFL que contradice la opinión formulada de que los estudiantes asiáticos, por causas culturales, no están dispuestos a ser críticos por pares, este estudio se concentra en las percepciones de los estudiantes chinos sobre críticas en clases de redacción. Se pidió a 57 estudiantes universitarios que realizaran críticas anónimas y cara a cara para saber si el anonimato los alienta a ofrecer críticas más constructivas. Los datos se recopilaron a partir de una encuesta basada en una escala Likert, entrevistas y notas del instructor. El análisis de la encuesta solo respaldaba parcialmente los hallazgos del estudio rehecho, demostrando la preferencia de los estudiantes chinos hacia las modalidades de críticas cara a cara y anónimas. Si bien la mayoría de los participantes mostraron resistencia a las críticas por pares al comienzo, comenzaron a apreciar los beneficios de ellas, en especial la discusión verbal de la modalidad cara a cara, aunque algunos no quisieron hacer comentarios negativos sobre el trabajo de sus compañeros. Los participantes se mantuvieron muy conscientes de la precisión de su retroalimentación y buscaron la confirmación y supervisión de una autoridad (el profesor), en lugar de tomar iniciativa

Portraying accent stereotyping by second language speakers.

Stereotyping towards the second language accent of second language learners is extensively seen even when the content of learner speech can be understood. Previous studies reported conflicting results on accent perception by speakers of second languages, especially among homogenous learners. In this paper, we conducted a survey and two experiments to test whether Mandarin-speaking advanced learners of English may give harsher accent ratings to their fellow learners than to Standard American English speakers. The survey was designed to understand the L2 listeners' beliefs about accented speech. In Experiment 1, participants rated short audio recordings of L2 learner' and Standard American English speech; in Experiment 2, they did the same in a more detailed word-in-sentence accent rating task. Results showed a markedly high level of perceived L2 accentedness for several learner speech stimuli despite good intelligibility, especially for the strongly-accented Cantonese passage and for specific vowel and consonant types. The findings reveal the existence of native-speakerism in China and highlight existing accent stereotypes. Implications for policymaking and language teaching are discussed