phonological analysis abstract substitution is a common phenomenon when a non-english speaker speaks...
TRANSCRIPT
PHONOLOGICAL ANALYSISABSTRACT
Substitution is a common phenomenon when a non-English speaker speaks English with foreign accent. By using spectrographic analysis, a study with a small number of controlled participants has been carried out to observe, in isolated English word, the pattern of substitution of the initial consonant [θ] with [s] by native Mandarin speakers, with short experience in the U.S.A, and little exposure to spoken English. In this study, additional audio data from a Mandarin speaker with longer experience in U.S.A. and audio materials of standard American English, have been included in acoustic analysis for comparison. Finally, a listening evaluation by an American English speaker has been conducted to perceptually detect phonological implications of the substitution. The study shows that native Mandarin speakers with short living experience in English speaking countries, tend to use the Mandarin phone [s] to realize the English phone [θ], difficult to pronounce, because not existing in Mandarin. Such substitution does not induce a phonological difference in Mandarin, but does affect the corresponding American English phonological contrast [θ]-[s]. Linear and non-linear phonological analyses have been applied, to describe the underlying rule which possibly determine this neutralization phenomenon
GOALS OF THE STUDY
Native Mandarin speakers with short living experience in English speaking countries, and short exposure to spoken English, tend to use native Mandarin phones to substitute English phones difficult to produce, as they do not belong to the Mandarin phonetic/phonological inventory. The substitution does not affect phonological contrasts in Mandarin, but neutralizes some English contrasts. The substitution of [θ] with [s] by Mandarin speakers, pronouncing English as a second language, is an example of the phenomenon described above. The goal of this study is to provide evidence for [θ]-[s] substitution by native Mandarin speakers, pronouncing English, through a spectrographic and acoustic analysis of the realizations of the two phones, and also to attempt an explanatory description of the mechanisms underlying the neutralization of the English phonological
/θ/ - /s/ contrast by a non-linear phonological analysis.
Phonetic Substitution as a Foreign Accent Phenomenon in Native Mandarin Speakers’ Pronunciation of English
Rui Li and Patrizia Bonaventura
Department of Communication Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This Poster is based on a class project for COSI 211 Phonetics and Phonology, given by Professor Bonaventura, Department of Communication Sciences. The author wishes to thank Professor Bonaventura for her advice and encouragement, which make this poster possible.
RESULTS
STUDY DESIGN Pre-test Ensure sample speakers have normal speech ability to produce the alveolar fricative [s] and collect necessary background information for data analysis. Data collection and testing Method: Live recording Participants: Three Mandarin speaking Chinese with at least six years English study One American English speaker [4] Content: 10 English words with initial [θ] 4 pairs of words with only initial sound’s difference 20 random English words Questionnaire Posttest data transcription Data Analysis
Palatogram
Tracing from X-rays Tracing from X-rays Tracing from X-rays
Palatogram Palatogram
Figure 1: Tracings from X-rays and Palatograms of 3 speakers producing Mandarin alveolar fricative [s] [3]
PHONETIC DESCRIPTION AND PHONOLOGICAL IMPLICATION
The alveolar fricative [s] in Mandarin can be considered as phonetically equivalent to the alveolar fricative [s] in Standard English [1]. However, palatographic studies (Fig. 1) show intersubject variation in the place and amount of constriction of the tip of the tongue depending on individual physiological constraints; this intrinsic phonetic variability of Mandarin [s], probably induces articulatory realizations closer to the interdental production of [] in English.
No interdental fricative [] exists in Mandarin.
[θ]-[s] substitution in English words made /s/ - // contrast neutralized. [2][3]
Figure 2: Study procedure
Sample # of Correct # of Incorrect # of Total Correct Production Production Production Production %
SampleA 2 0 2 100%SampleB 2 0 2 100%SampleC 2 0 2 100%
Pretest Result Chart
Sample
[S] [θ] [S] [θ] [S] [θ] [S] [θ]
SampleA 4 1 0 1 4 14 100% 8%SampleB 4 0 0 14 4 14 100% 0%SampleC 4 7 0 7 4 7 100% 100%
# of Correct Production
# of Incorrect Production
# of Total Production
Correct Production %
Testing Result Chart (Target initial consonants [s] & [θ] )Spectrogram Characteristics of [s] & [θ]
Noise portion in [s] shows stronger overall energy than noise in [θ]. Noise portion in [s] has intense high frequency (low limit around 4KHz); overall energy in [θ] is distributed all over the spectrum and weaker than [s]. Acoustic cues are used to perceive and distinguish the two fricatives.
Figure 3: Spectrograms of [s] & [θ]
[s] [θ]
Sample A Sample B Sample C Sample D
Thief Thief Thief Thief
Spectrogram Analysis Example I (Word “Thief” from Sample A to D)
Sample A Sample C
Think Sink Think Sink
Spectrogram Analysis Example II (“Think” vs. “Sink” from Sample A and C)
The Posttest Questionnaires Mandarin speakers (A, B) with short experience in USA
Can produce [s] and [ө], but [ө] production makes them feel unnatural and uncomfortable. Don’t think the difference are important, because productions of these two sounds would not make phonological difference in Mandarin words. Not aware of their substitution in everyday life.
Mandarin speaker C with longer experience in USA Can produce [s] and [ө], but still sometimes feels not very natural. Knowing the substitution may lead to misunderstanding.
Systematic substitution phenomenon Linear phonological analysis
Rule: // /s/ / # ____
Non-linear phonological analysis
Pre-test
Testing and Data Collection
Post-test Data Transcription
Data Analysis
Qualified
If not qualified, a new participants is needed
Questionnaire
[ө]
Root
[+cont] Superlaryngeal Laryngeal
Coronal [+spread]
[ - distributed]
[s]
Root
[+cont] Superlaryngeal Laryngeal
Coronal [+spread]
[ + distributed]
CONCLUSIONS
When producing the English words with [] in the initial position, Mandarin speakers with reduced exposure to spoken English, attempt to use the alveolar fricative [s] (both a Mandarin and English phoneme) to substitute the English voiceless interdental fricative [ ] that does not exist in Mandarin. Substitution is due probably to lack of perceptual distinction between the interdental and the alveolar fricatives by Mandarin speakers, due to the allophonic status of these two phones in Mandarin.
Substitution between [] and [s] does not affect any phonological distinction in Mandarin, but neutralizes the English /s/ – // phonological contrast
REFERENCES
[1] Borden, G. J., Harris, K. S. and Raphael, L. R., Speech Science Primer: Physiology, Acoustics, and Perception of Speech . Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins, 2003.[2] Compton, A. J., Compton P-ESL program CD-ROM, Carousel House, San
Francisco, CA, 2003.
[3] Ladefoged, P. and Maddieson, I., The sounds of the world's languages, infoOxford, UK, 1996.
[4] Shriberg, L. D. and Kent, R. D., Clinical Phonetics, Pearson Education Inc., 2003.
FOUR PARTICIPANTS SAMPLES
Sample Age & Gender First Language Years Stay in USA Origin
Sample A 28 Male Mandarin 1.5 Years North China
Sample B 25 Female Mandarin 1 Year North China
Sample C 34 Male Mandarin > 5 Years North China
Sample D 25 Male Am. E. USA