Mandarin Transfer of English Pronunciation

 English Pronunciation in Mandarin Transfer
Abstract: This paper discusses the nature of language transfer theory based on the analysis of factors affecting migration, comparing the two languages of English, from the phoneme, phoneme, tone / intonation language, accent and rhythm and other aspects of the Mandarin on the role of negative transfer of learning English in order to better help students overcome negative transfer of Putonghua, and promote the learning of English speech.
Keywords: Putonghua; English voice; language transfer; comparative study < br> The Transferring Effect of Mandarin on English Phonetics
Lin Yuhang
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Zhangzhou Teachers College 01021225
Abstract: This paper is meant to help the Chinese English-learners to overcome the negative phonetic transfer and promote the study of English phonetics by dealing with language transfer theories, analyzing the factors affecting language transfer, comparing and analyzing some phonetic features of the Chinese and English languages, such as phone, phoneme, tone / intonation language, stress and rhythm.
Key words: Mandarin; English phonetics; language transfer; comparative analysis
voice clearance is key to learning English, but also difficult. However, foreign language teaching profession on the issue of voice was significantly less than other areas, which inevitably some . Comparison of the theoretical basis of language transfer, the same time, comparative studies and teaching is to address the role of language transfer of scientific methods and means. However, in comparing the two kinds of voice in the process of teaching, resulting in a specious argument, for example, ; good Mandarin and English voice-like . The world has a variety of languages, although all languages have their similarities side, but each language has its unique sound system, and have their own unique sound rules. to fully and correctly understand the Mandarin to English The transfer of voice, it should move in the understanding of the nature of language and language transfer factors have the basis of the English voice, phoneme-related aspects of a science of comparative study.
First, the concept and essence of language transfer
Ausubel representative of the cognitive structure of transfer theory to explain from a cognitive point of view of a mainstream tendency to migrate, and then there are symbolic schema theory, production theory, structure matching theory and migration theory of situational theory . According to Ausubel's theory of cognitive structure Migration, higher level of generalization, will be relocated summarized as three ways, the essence of the original structure and new learning of cognitive interaction, interaction, thus forming a new cognitive structure of the process.
migration (transfer) as a psychological term that refers to acquired instruction, skills, methods of learning new knowledge, skills, influence. migration is a common feature of human cognition. in foreign language learning, transfer mental process corresponding structure, or mother tongue of foreign language learning play a catalytic role in the study of positive transfer will occur. But if a structure does not correspond to the native structure, or the corresponding structure in the two languages are different, that is mother tongue in learning foreign languages from the interference or inhibition, will have a negative migration, thus affecting foreign language learning, which is the negative transfer of learning.
Study of Language Transfer System can be traced back to four or five of the last century ten generations of linguists Fulaiyisi (C. Fries) and Toledo (R. Lado). they Sijin Na (BFSkinner) behavior psychology theory that enhancement is the formation of habits, old and new knowledge is connected. so in foreign language learning, native language learning habits that previously would have migrated the new role of foreign language learning ; language learning difficulties caused by the difference between the two languages, learning the main task is to identify and overcome the differences ; the learner's native language (mother tongue / native language) and target language (target language) comparative analysis of various aspects, to find out the difference between the two, to explain or predict foreign language learning has been or will be difficulties and errors occur, and as guidance for the teaching materials and teaching activities. He said: said the man born with the natural ability to learn a language, it is rooted in the inner mechanism, that language acquisition. Greenberg (J. Greenberg) on cross-language investigation (cross-linguistic surveys) especially for word order analysis to study and prove the universality of language. In short, both emphasized the role of comparative analysis of language transfer hypothesis, or emphasize the universality of human language to the neglect of the phenomenon of language transfer theory of Universal Grammar are explained from different aspects of it have some common language, foreign language learning native language will have a positive impact on the positive transfer effect, while the special nature of each language and the native language on learning foreign languages have some negative impact, that is negative transfer.
Second, the language transfer factors generated
native language is no simple migration of foreign or second language and migration between, nor is the similarity between the two languages, or the degree of commonality can be decided to move. On the contrary, it involving a variety of different types of migration, also involves a different objective and subjective factors.
produce any form of migration are affected by many subjective and objective factors. influence transfer of learning English pronunciation of factors, including learning materials among the common factors understanding of the material, the general level of knowledge and experience, given the potential role of cognitive structure and stability of clarity and knowledge be used. Ausubel that the cognitive structure of the three variables affect the transfer of new learning or place. cognitive structure that is in the minds of students the knowledge structure, broadly speaking, it is the students are all concepts and their organizations; a narrow sense, it is the students in a particular area of the entire concept of content and its organization. cognitive structure variable is the learner's existing knowledge and application of his assimilation of new knowledge, the original content and organization of cognitive structure in terms of features. declarative knowledge of the migration variables are: availability, accessibility identify and stability. In addition, some scholars believe that the following closely related problems and language transfer. First, the situational characteristics caused concern. situational learning environment, including the initial and subsequent migration scenarios, two situations are similar to the level of migration. study found , physical and social environments is the study important, meaningful part. a different scene or situation, the learning and transfer may be different. Therefore, the authentic English learning environment, such as foreign language angle, helps to learn the language knowledge and language skills to move to actual situations. Second, the emphasis on migration initiative and accessibility. Mastery reflects the learner's initiative, means that learners can move when the opportunity arises, successfully extracted relevant experience or the resources available. Effective learners have a strong internal motivation to regulate their own language learning activities, such as language learning proactively identify previously associated with the current task, identify appropriate language use and language transfer situations, active Extraction of available resources, these are necessary conditions for generating language transfer.
III comparative study of English Pronunciation in Mandarin Transfer
comparative study is based on the American scholar Ledo (R. Lado) 1957 Year's Comparison of the system one by one. The comparative study of the theoretical basis and the focus is the language migration. comparative study of language helps people understand the difference and connection between the languages. Mr. Li Tingxiang pointed out that different places, every English teachers need to know. English and Chinese comparative knowledge can help teachers under English and Chinese differences, anticipate student difficulties in learning and focus on teaching methods in order to take corresponding measures to to improve the quality of English teaching produced in English Pronunciation in the migration, though not exclusively, the migration of specific knowledge, it is customary Mandarin pronunciation, articulation of migration, the migration is also a pronunciation skills. on both the phone (phone), phonological (phoneme ) and syllables (syllable), etc. A comparative study for the system will undoubtedly promote the role of accurately identifying the conditions for positive transfer, while reducing the interference of negative transfer produced to help the learning of English speech.
the smallest unit of speech is the phoneme However, differences in the meaning of verbal communication to the smallest unit is the phoneme speech. phonemes into phonemes (segmental phonemes) and suprasegmental phonemes (super-segmental phonemes) of two, the former including the vowels, consonants , vowels and consonants, consonants and combinations of sounds in the word, that combination of phonemes or syllables; the latter refers to the accent (stress), interval (length), rhythm (rhythm), pitch (tone), tone (intonation) and juncture (juncture) and so on. The following is a comparative analysis of two languages phonemes and Migration of the situation:
1. vowels, consonants and consonant and vowel
Indo-European Germanic languages are English, 20 vowels and 28 consonants. English phoneme is the smallest unit of meaning differences. Sino-Tibetan languages are Chinese and English phonemes as the smallest unit of meaning is different. Putonghua is the representative of Chinese language, there are consonant phonemes , that is, 22 consonants, 31 vowels. consonants in the syllable at the beginning of the general, after the initial consonant vowel is part of the general by a vowel or vowel consonant / n, n ^ / composition, such as / B, o, Bi, en , uBn ^ / etc finals.
English diphthong vowel sound and is divided into units; Mandarin vowels are divided into single-finals and finals complex. the number of vowels in English than in Mandarin to be more single-finals, and the share Fine. Putonghua, only six single-finals; English has 12 vowels, and is divided into before, during and after the vowel. where / I, U, e, A, Q / and other vowels in Mandarin can not find the approximate sound, hard to say those who speak good Mandarin will be able to send some good sound and contain these phonemes of these words and sentences. and can be found in Mandarin sounds like the approximate / i, u /, pronunciation of the tongue than the former English closer to the top, which is more on the list [7].
addition, Putonghua compound final / ei, Bi, Bo, ou / and English diphthong / eI, aI, au, EU / Although all the strong vowel-based, sliding to the direction of the weak vowel. However, Mandarin sliding fast, and did not reach the position of the weak vowels, pronounced the two-tone seamless; English diphthong slide is obvious, both relative independent, good Mandarin is easy to like people mistakenly pronounced / lak / or / lek /. It is noteworthy that both in pronunciation and the lip on the site there are differences. fat compound final / ei, Bi, Bo, ou / Zhang was less than the fat lip diphthong / eI, aI, aU, [U /, but slightly rearward tongue [7]. of course, can master the Chinese language in the compound final crescendo, such as the / iB, ie, uB, uo / learners more easily and is ready English diphthong / I [, Z [, U [/. Putonghua and English in both triple tone, its articulation in different ways: Fat Mandarin triple sound is from weak to strong, and then from strong to weak, strong tension between the vowels to form a syllable, such as / iBo, uBi, ioU, iBo / etc.; English triple by double vowel sound / [/ composition, but not in the same syllable, the pronunciation is from strong to weak, then from weak to strong second.
Mandarin and English, there are similarities and differences between consonant phonemes. most of voicing consonants in English pair , such as / p, b /, / t, d /, / k, g / etc.; and most consonants are divided into Mandarin unaspirated and aspirated consonants, such as / p, b, t, d, k, g , j, q, x, zh, ch, sh, z, c, s / etc, voiced consonants, only / r, m, n, l, ng / 5 个. Chinese aspirated and unaspirated distinction significance; the English clearing Cloud can distinguish meaning and affect the length of vowels and consonants adjacent assimilation, such as / lIt / in / I / on the hair than / lId / in / I / short, voiced to extend the front with a vowel. and such as the vowel / R: / in the caw, cord, caught three words in the different intervals, the longest in the caw Zhong pronunciation, in the cord> c, caught Zhong is the shortest. In addition, the English consonants according to location different and the relationship between the connected phoneme, resulting allophone (allophone). such as the phoneme / t / sounds in different environments, it is not the same pronunciation, in the top is aspirated (aspirated); In the stop is unaspirated (unaspirated); in certain nasal explosion is (nasalized plosive); in the little side blast in the tongue (lateral plosive); in that kid is not exactly bursting (incomplete plosive); on that day Blasting is lost (loss of plosive). These phenomena are unique in English, Mandarin no matter how good, if not with the voice of knowledge, but also learn English voice.
Admittedly, some of Mandarin phonemes and the system Some English phonemes no great difference. For example, the nasal consonant (nasal) voice system, the two form a natural kind, can be described as different characters, / m /, / n /, / N /, respectively described as consonants of 〔+, + nasal resistance, - the rear of the, + lips of〕; 〔+ consonant sex, + nasal resistance, - the rear of the, + gum sexual〕; 〔+ consonant sex, + nasality, + back nature of the soft palate +〕. to send a good nasal consonants in Putonghua learners, the role of language can make a positive move made good his right nasal consonants in English. However, those learners should be more concerned and Mandarin pronunciation differences in location and approximate methods are sound and there is no Chinese phonemes such as / W, T /, / F, V /, / tF, dV / etc, no matter that much more authentic Mandarin learners, not more practice it was not easy and is ready teeth fricative (dental fricative) / W, T /, gingival fricative jaw (palato-alveolar fricative) / F, V / and jaw gingival affricates (palato-alveolar affricate) / tF, dV /. Of particular note are the following consonants in Mandarin and English in different description:
/ s, z / in English for the alveolar fricative (alveolar fricative); in Chinese former dental fricative (dental fricative), the latter dental affricates (dental affricate).
/ h / in English for the guttural fricative (glottal fricative); the soft palate in Chinese friction sound (velar fricative).
/ r / in English for non- Friction continued sound (approximate); in Chinese for the retroflex fricative (retroflex fricative) [7].
2. phoneme combination of both m syllable syllable phonetic contrast
a concept and phonology Zhong important concepts. the definition of syllable vary. to its structure, , leading tone (peak) and radio (coda) form, lead is usually vowel sounds (vowel), voice and radio is often the starting consonant (consonant). English syllable in form is much more complex than the Mandarin syllables. concrete form as follows :
English syllable: V-VV-VVV-CV-CVV-CVVV-VC-VCC-CCVV-CVC-CVVC-CCV-VCCC-CCVC-CC CVC-CCCVVCC-CCCV-CCVVC-CCVVCC-CCVCC C-CCVCCCC -CVCC-CVCCC-CVCCCC
Chinese syllable: V-VV-VVV-CV-CVV-CVVV-VC-CVC-CVVC
can be seen from the above comparison, Mandarin syllable structure is relatively simple, usually single- consonant plus vowel; English the first syllable, the tail often appears consonant clusters (consonant clusters), such as must tempt texts thousandths and so on. In other words, only a single consonant type of Mandarin syllables, there is no consonant clusters in syllable type. Type of syllables into consonant clusters Chinese learners, including learners can speak standard Mandarin speech difficulty. learners are accustomed to reading in English consonant clusters entrained in vowels, pronounced like the green / ^ [ri: n /.
also are susceptible from the rising tone consonant endings start to try to pull it very long, so much effort, given the sound is also very irregular. This is because the Chinese syllable except / n / and / ng / two nasal consonants, the vowel at the end of all , is the opening syllable, and the section at most one consonant before the peak; and before the peak of English audio keeps up to three consonants, such as / sprIt / etc, and post-peak section can have up to four. As the two syllables of the language systems, students easily transfer characteristics of the Chinese syllables to English learning.
3. intonation language (intonation language) and a tonal language (tone language)
each Chinese word (or syllable) has a distinguish between the role of word meaning tone, such as / mā / mother, / ma / Ma, / mǎ / MA, / ma / curse, / mB / do, for the tone of voice experts said the Chinese language; However, in English, the word tone does not change its meaning, such as book / buk / reading into a flat tone, rising or falling tone, remains a the speaker's attitude, tone, tone the core of such a general statement on the end, so the English called a tone of voice language experts. such as: This is your ↘ seat. sentence that is not the falling tone positive tone, but This is your ↗ seat? said the tone of question, in order to obtain each other's confirmed. Chinese sentences are often caught by the tone of the sentence does not repeat the word, but because of this re-read the word have their own fixed voice, its tone will be subject to the actual the word itself and the required tone combined effect of intonation, that is the word in the original tune, based on the modulation of the desired tone to a little change, it is neither completely lost the original tone, but also the requirements of the required tone. such as: ; the ball, tone, language practice can only be the , also a small range of movements. Chinese students Chinese language of this tone due to the tone of the negative transfer effect, the tone is often flat when speaking English, circumflex is not clear, small undulating movements, it is difficult to learn English that cascade down-type tone.
recent years, scientists tend to be more emphasis on voice intonation in English the importance of the English consonant vowel itself, but the soul of English intonation. If the vowel consonant read very accurate, the tone wrong, sounds like English. On the contrary, if the vowel consonant read something wrong, but the tone is correct, it sounds also like English. Now that English intonation is so important, then we must pay attention to learn English to Chinese and English, the difference in tone , in an effort to overcome the Chinese tone when speaking English influence, hard work and practice, and gradually master the English intonation.
4. other speech aspects of the negative transfer
Discrimination of English words not the tone, voice stress is an important element differentiated the role of meaning, such as: 'converse (noun, opposite transaction), con'verse (verb, to talk). in the Chinese phrase meaning to play the role of Distinction is a tone, not accent, tone tone in the discourse with the proportion of more important role, in addition to ending phrases with function words (such as tables, wood, etc.) and individual phrases (such as father, mother, etc.), the majority of each word in the phrase read as the same degree of severity, such as teachers, Tel , car, weather and so on. The characteristics of migration to English language learning, so that beginners often polysyllabic English words are read re-read, light syllable to stress not Mingshi dislocation, such as the 'diligent read as' di'li'gent, di 'ligent or dili'gent.
in terms of rhythm and rhyme, is also a great difference between Chinese and English. Chinese is a syllable (word) to time units, while the English accent for the time units Zeyi. Chinese, syllable (word) is the rhythmic basis of the number, except for some auxiliary to read, faster than the vague, in general, the time occupied by each character roughly equal, read too clearly. such as poetry is always based on the number of words per line to determine its rhythm or rhythm, such as Liu's expression of thought required is stress, but also not so obvious in English, obviously, so the more general character of the time occupied by a word, a sentence less than the word takes a long time, such as He has a car. is a tone higher, greater loudness, pronunciation clearly share a long time; and low light syllable is tone, loudness is small, fast and ambiguous time, the share of shorter duration. Therefore, the total between stress and stress is to maintain approximately equal the actual distance. accented syllable between the light the more the faster the more obscure schools. If: 'found the' article she was 'studying at the' library. a stressed syllable roughly equal between the time spent, between the light stressed syllable syllable is not the time occupied by the same. After the sentence, the first and second syllable between the second and third repeat , respectively, between syllables 2 and 1 by a light syllable, and the third and fourth syllable between the fourth and fifth syllables of each of four light read between the syllables, 5 syllables in order to maintain roughly the same time the distance between the third to the fifth light stressed syllable syllable between the light and will read faster. Chinese students of English, this feature more difficult to grasp, often according to Chinese custom of each syllable (words) put it very well, and not used to having a few light syllable compressed together, read out quickly and vague, which does not sound very natural.
In addition, the interface between syllables (juncture), the English in Chinese does not have tonal (liaison) phenomenon, will bring some difficulties for beginners. In English, many people can send a good sound of a word, but can not say smooth, coherent sentences; can understand English words, academics can not understand a coherent sentence. this phenomenon, I think, one of the reasons is that they do not master English running words together. There are many words in English are consonants at the end, in and immediately behind them the first vowel in a word to link words read to produce a tonal phenomenon. but in fact there are Chinese, this linking, but we usually do not realize. Chinese tonal in exclamatory sentences in general such as:
My God! Wo de tiBn B
was hard wow! HBo ku B
However, unlike the Chinese tonal range of tonal phenomena so common in English, and most words ending in vowels, the tonal is considerably limited, so students will be in touch When reading English was very difficult, but also greatly limits the development of the students listening.
assimilation is the most common form of English Pronunciation Variations In speaking or reading in a coherent, sound and sound is the interplay between a natural. In fact, in Chinese, a similar phenomenon also exists, such as:
bread miBn-bBo r miBm-bBo
inevitably nBn-miBn r nBm-miBn
where Therefore, the and English languages, both Distinguishing features juncture, Mandarin a good learner, generally able to pay attention to crossing the English sound, but to fully grasp, still needs a lot of practice.
IV Conclusion
Mandarin and English characteristics and rules of pronunciation, phonemes and so the number and nature of similarities and differences exist, and the difference is greater than similarity, in the strong similarity between the two, the positive transfer effect is more obvious; the difference is obvious aspects of the performance , negative effects have the upper hand. Since learning of Putonghua in English pronunciation of Mandarin to English language learning to overcome the interference, and promote learning Mandarin on the positive role of English speech. in teaching teachers to help students overcome the interference is necessary to highlight vital to enable students to deep understanding of both languages in the articulation and language differences on the expression. According to comparative analysis of theoretical perspectives, through the description, selection, comparison, comparative analysis of prediction steps, Mandarin and English on the structure of scientific analysis to identify the difference between the two, and the degree of size difference. Through this conscious Chinese pronunciation system of comparative analysis, to help students make a meaningful summary of differences between students in English and Chinese voice system sensitivity. As Lvshu Xiang in the let him know the difference between English and Chinese, for each specific issue, as far as possible the circumstances in Chinese compared with English, compared him to get through this experience more deeply. Chinese students must understand Chinese, English differences and guard against Chinese interference, try to overcome in learning English, to avoid interference in Chinese, so as to fully learn English more effectively.
discussed above, a good learner is difficult to speak Mandarin, English voice to be good; also learners can not speak Mandarin is not good to be bad English voice. influence transfer of learning English pronunciation of factors, including similarities and differences between Mandarin and English factors, individual factors on the level of understanding of similarities and differences, the general level of knowledge and experience. In addition, Context is also involved in migration activities; learner's initiative, the individual characteristics of language transfer are able to generate the necessary conditions. Putonghua The transfer of the English voice is definitely not a single, the similarities between the two languages can not be decided to move the extent that it involves a variety of subjective and objective factors should be considered. solitary ...