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Cited by 4Phonetics and Phonology ResearchEFL/ESL Teaching and LearningLinguistic Variation and Morphology

Nonlinguistic Factors that Affect the Degree of Foreign Accent in Second Language Mandarin

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Freeborn, Lani, Rogers, John·2019·Studies in Chinese Linguistics
DOI 10.2478/scl-2019-0003
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Abstract

Previous research findings have established that a number of nonlinguistic factors can influence the strength of perceived foreign accent in second language (L2) speech. However, the majority of past studies have predominantly considered foreign accent of Indo-European languages, notably English. Therefore, it remains unknown whether the same factors influence foreign accent in other languages, such as Mandarin. This article reports findings from a study on nonlinguistic factors affecting the degree of foreign accent in Mandarin as an L2. Seventy L2 learners of Mandarin Chinese recorded speech samples and completed language background questionnaires. Speech samples were rated by 15 native Mandarin speakers for the degree of foreign accent on a 9-point Likert scale. Stepwise multiple regression analysis resulted in a 3-predictor model of pronunciation accuracy: self-rating of foreign accent, Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì (HSK) proficiency level, and motivational reasons. Results suggest that (1) foreign accent in L2 Mandarin may not be affected by the same factors as in previous L2 accent studies and (2) the concepts of accentedness and comprehensibility may be more intricately linked in lexical tone languages such as Mandarin, in comparison to nontonal languages. These findings have wider implications for the field of L2 acquisition, which is dominated by studies of L2 English.

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  • A patient or persona raised and educated outside the United States may have English understanding, speech, and writing close to that of a Californian American, depending on factors such as age of immigration, years of formal schooling, aptitude for recognizing pronunciations, and interest in social activities.

    “For example, although a patient or persona may have been raised and educated outside the United States, the person’s English understanding, speech, and writing may be close to that of a Californian American, depending on factors such as the age of immigration, years of formal schooling, subjects’ own aptitude for recognizing pronunciations and interest in social activities40.”

    From Aci-bench: a Novel Ambient Clinical Intelligence Dataset for Benchmarking Automatic Visit Note Generation (2023) · cites this paper as [40]

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  1. Pallant, Julie. 2010. SPSS Survival Manual. United Kingdom: Open University Press.

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Authors
Freeborn, L., & Rogers, J.
Affiliations
  • Chinese University of Hong Kong (HK)
  • Education University of Hong Kong (HK)
Corresponding author
Freeborn, Lani
ORCID
Venue
Studies in Chinese Linguistics
Publisher
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Published
2019-06-01
Volume
40
Issue
1
Pages
75-99
ISSN
1017-1274 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.2478/scl-2019-0003
OpenAlex
W2955776831
Cited by
4
References
58
Citations by year
2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2
FWCI
0.88
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Studies in Chinese Linguistics (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Phonetics and Phonology Research
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning
  • Social Sciences › Linguistics and Language › Linguistic Variation and Morphology
Keywords
foreign accent, pronunciation accuracy, lexical tone, comprehensibility, student motivation, Mandarin as a second language

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