臺灣英語學習者英語輔音群之習得及優選理論之應用
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2022
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本研究通過量化分析(Quantitative Analysis)，探究母語(國語)音韻系統的轉移、普遍性、英語接觸、英語母語化程度和標記之間的相互作用如何影響台灣以英語為外語的學習者對英語輔音群的習得。並在優選理論(Optimality Theory)的架構下，藉由說明標記性制約(markedness constraints)及信實性制約(faithfulness constraints)在制約排序(constraint ranking)的衝突解釋台灣以英語為外語學習者的中介語言(interlanguage)如何從母語(國語)的音韻系統過渡到英語(國語)的音韻系統。本研究藉由觀察72名台灣學習英語的小學生對24個具有不同標記程度輔音群英語單詞的感知及產製表現，得到以下結論: (1)由於國語的音韻系統中無複雜音節結構，因此台灣英語學習者在感知及產製英語輔音群時，需調整他們的感知及產製，以便符合母語(國語)的音節結構;(2)在感知及產製上所做的調整是根據所感知到的輔音表面語音特徵來處理，並且受普遍性的影響，例如用於簡化複雜音節結構的元音插入、用於異化相鄰相似輔音的輔音插入、用於同化相鄰相異輔音的輔音插入、字首(ICD)或字尾(FCD)的輔音刪除、替換與被替換輔音具有相似特徵的輔音；(3)除了母語轉移外，普遍性、接觸英語的量、母語水平和二語音節結構的標記性皆對台灣學習英語的學習者英語輔音群的習得有所影響，此外研究也發現學習者的感知與他們的產製有著顯著的正相關；(4)針對學習者對具有不同標記程度的英語輔音群的習得表現所歸納出的四個習得難度層級，對英語輔音群的習得順序具有教學上的意義；(5)分析三組學習者對英語輔音群的產製所得出的不同制約排序揭示了英語輔音群習得的四個發展性階段:從一開始標記性制約佔據在制約排序中的上層位置而信實性制約則相對佔據在制約排序中的中下層位置，到最後兩類制約互相調換在制約排序中的位置。根據這些發現，二語學習者的英語輔音群習得可以通過量化分析，並在優選理論(OT)的架構下進行解釋。通過分析和說明，教師可以更全面地了解哪些因素會影響學習者的二語習得。
This study investigated how the interaction among the transfer from the Mandarin phonological system, language universals, exposure to English, native-like proficiency of English, and markedness affected Taiwan EFL learners' acquisition of English consonant clusters by a quantitative analysis of the learners' perception and production and an Optimality Theoretic account of the conflict between the markedness and faithfulness constraints in the constraint ranking. Seventy-two Taiwan EFL elementary schoolers with different amount of exposure to English and/or English learning were recruited to perceive and produce twenty-four English words with consonant clusters in varying degree of markedness. The major findings obtained from this study were summarized as follows. First, the transfer from the prohibition of the Mandarin phonological system against complex syllable structures forced Taiwan EFL learners to modify their perception and production for the purpose of conforming the syllable structures of their L1. Second, the modifications the participants adapted were based on the surface phonetic features of the perceived consonants and affected by language universals, such as a vowel insertion for breaking complex syllable structures, a consonant insertion for dissimilating the adjacent similar consonants, bridging consonant clusters, word-initial (ICD) or word final (FCD) consonant deletion, and substitution of consonants with similar features to the replaced consonants in terms of articulation. Third, in addition to L1 transfer, language universals, amount of exposure to English, native-like proficiency of English, and markedness of the L2 syllable structure had the effects on Taiwan EFL learners’ acquisition of English consonant clusters, and the EFL learners’ perception had a significant, positive correlation with their production. Next, four levels of acquiring difficulty concluded from the participants’ performances on the English consonant clusters with varying degree of markedness had its pedagogical implication of the acquisition order of English consonant cluster. Finally, the OT account of the three groups of participants’ productions revealed four developmental stages of Taiwan EFL learners’ acquisition of English consonant clusters. From the beginning, the markedness constraints occupied the upper positions of the constraint ranking, while the faithful constraints occupied the relatively lower positions. With more exposure to English and/or English learning, the two types of constraints exchanged their positions in the constraint ranking.According to these findings, L2 learners’ acquisition can be analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively and accounted within the framework of Optimality Theory (OT). With the analysis and account, teachers could have a more comprehensive understanding of what factors could affect learners’ L2 acquisition.
This study investigated how the interaction among the transfer from the Mandarin phonological system, language universals, exposure to English, native-like proficiency of English, and markedness affected Taiwan EFL learners' acquisition of English consonant clusters by a quantitative analysis of the learners' perception and production and an Optimality Theoretic account of the conflict between the markedness and faithfulness constraints in the constraint ranking. Seventy-two Taiwan EFL elementary schoolers with different amount of exposure to English and/or English learning were recruited to perceive and produce twenty-four English words with consonant clusters in varying degree of markedness. The major findings obtained from this study were summarized as follows. First, the transfer from the prohibition of the Mandarin phonological system against complex syllable structures forced Taiwan EFL learners to modify their perception and production for the purpose of conforming the syllable structures of their L1. Second, the modifications the participants adapted were based on the surface phonetic features of the perceived consonants and affected by language universals, such as a vowel insertion for breaking complex syllable structures, a consonant insertion for dissimilating the adjacent similar consonants, bridging consonant clusters, word-initial (ICD) or word final (FCD) consonant deletion, and substitution of consonants with similar features to the replaced consonants in terms of articulation. Third, in addition to L1 transfer, language universals, amount of exposure to English, native-like proficiency of English, and markedness of the L2 syllable structure had the effects on Taiwan EFL learners’ acquisition of English consonant clusters, and the EFL learners’ perception had a significant, positive correlation with their production. Next, four levels of acquiring difficulty concluded from the participants’ performances on the English consonant clusters with varying degree of markedness had its pedagogical implication of the acquisition order of English consonant cluster. Finally, the OT account of the three groups of participants’ productions revealed four developmental stages of Taiwan EFL learners’ acquisition of English consonant clusters. From the beginning, the markedness constraints occupied the upper positions of the constraint ranking, while the faithful constraints occupied the relatively lower positions. With more exposure to English and/or English learning, the two types of constraints exchanged their positions in the constraint ranking.According to these findings, L2 learners’ acquisition can be analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively and accounted within the framework of Optimality Theory (OT). With the analysis and account, teachers could have a more comprehensive understanding of what factors could affect learners’ L2 acquisition.
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英語輔音群, 優選理論, 母語轉移, 普遍性, 標記性, 二語接觸, 二語習得, English consonant clusters, Optimality Theory, L1 transfer, language universals, markedness, L2 exposure, L2 native-likeness, second language acquisition