English Language Proficiency and Production of Prosodic Disambiguation: A Preliminary Study of Taiwanese English Learners
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Date
2010-09-??
Authors
楊碧藍
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Publisher
英語學系
Department of English, NTNU
Department of English, NTNU
Abstract
針對外語人士使用韻律澄清法來傳達歧異語句的適當意義的研究，能夠協助揭示他們外語音韻能力的發展情形。利用朗誦閱讀的工其，本研究試圖初步探討，當臺灣英語學習者唸出歧異語句時，是否能像英語人士一樣，確實地使用韻律邊界的策略，以表達出正確的意義。並就英語學習者的英語程度和這種策略使用的關餘，做進一步的討論。實驗結果顯示，在朗誦閱讀之前，就被告知歧異語句的適當意義的進階英語學習者，能像英語人士一樣，特意地拉長關鍵的片語結構邊界，即韻律澄清法，以便傳遞歧異語句的過切意義，但低程度英語學習者則沒有使用這種策略。這些發現支持英語學習者的英語音韻能力，有其發展的不同階段。除此，本研究建議臺灣英語教師明確地教導學生句法、音韻，和它們之間的關餘，期待成功地玲養出他們的英語音韻能力。
Studies of prosodic disambiguation in second language (L2) production can help to explain and illustrate the development of a learner's L2 prosody. Using a reading aloud task at sentence level, the present study investigated whether Taiwanese English learners produce prosodic boundaries to disambiguate syntactically ambiguous sentences in a way similar to native English speakers when informed of the ambiguities in advance. Also, the study groped into the relationship between English proficiency level and L2 English prosodic disambiguation. Results showed that advanced English learners, like native speakers, intentionally lengthened the pause durations of relevant boundaries to express the appropriate meaning of an ambiguous utterance, whereas limited English learners did not. The findings support a developmental stage of L2 English prosody. Additionally, explicit instruction of syntax and prosody is suggested to cultivate the capacities of perceiving and producing L2 English prosodic disambiguation.
Studies of prosodic disambiguation in second language (L2) production can help to explain and illustrate the development of a learner's L2 prosody. Using a reading aloud task at sentence level, the present study investigated whether Taiwanese English learners produce prosodic boundaries to disambiguate syntactically ambiguous sentences in a way similar to native English speakers when informed of the ambiguities in advance. Also, the study groped into the relationship between English proficiency level and L2 English prosodic disambiguation. Results showed that advanced English learners, like native speakers, intentionally lengthened the pause durations of relevant boundaries to express the appropriate meaning of an ambiguous utterance, whereas limited English learners did not. The findings support a developmental stage of L2 English prosody. Additionally, explicit instruction of syntax and prosody is suggested to cultivate the capacities of perceiving and producing L2 English prosodic disambiguation.