A Cross-Language Study of Tonal Variants in Mandarin in Different Attentional Conditions
This study used an electrophysiological technique to investigate the perception mechanism of Mandarin native speakers and learners from non-tonal language backgrounds when processing the third tone (T3) and its variants in Mandarin. The experiments used a 2 × 2 two-factor mixed design to examine the...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/3/304 |
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| author | Xin Chen Jianqin Wang Ji Lu |
| author_facet | Xin Chen Jianqin Wang Ji Lu |
| author_sort | Xin Chen |
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| description | This study used an electrophysiological technique to investigate the perception mechanism of Mandarin native speakers and learners from non-tonal language backgrounds when processing the third tone (T3) and its variants in Mandarin. The experiments used a 2 × 2 two-factor mixed design to examine the perception of T3 and its variants and the processing mechanisms of learners and native speakers under different levels of attention. Differences in attention and language backgrounds in the perception of Mandarin tones were further investigated. These results provide evidence that there are no significant differences in the perception of the two T3 variants by native Mandarin speakers under different attentional conditions. In contrast, learners from non-tonal language backgrounds were more likely to perceive a low flat tone as T3 than a low concave tone in the attentive condition. This means that learners are more likely to rely on low-pitch cues rather than the concave contour of the tone when perceiving T3. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-735caccb5d9c46a78088cd0edae37a72 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-735caccb5d9c46a78088cd0edae37a722025-08-20T02:11:15ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-03-0115330410.3390/bs15030304A Cross-Language Study of Tonal Variants in Mandarin in Different Attentional ConditionsXin Chen0Jianqin Wang1Ji Lu2Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaCenter for Cognitive Science of Language, Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing 100083, ChinaCenter for Cognitive Science of Language, Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing 100083, ChinaThis study used an electrophysiological technique to investigate the perception mechanism of Mandarin native speakers and learners from non-tonal language backgrounds when processing the third tone (T3) and its variants in Mandarin. The experiments used a 2 × 2 two-factor mixed design to examine the perception of T3 and its variants and the processing mechanisms of learners and native speakers under different levels of attention. Differences in attention and language backgrounds in the perception of Mandarin tones were further investigated. These results provide evidence that there are no significant differences in the perception of the two T3 variants by native Mandarin speakers under different attentional conditions. In contrast, learners from non-tonal language backgrounds were more likely to perceive a low flat tone as T3 than a low concave tone in the attentive condition. This means that learners are more likely to rely on low-pitch cues rather than the concave contour of the tone when perceiving T3.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/3/304second-language learnerstone variantsattentive and pre-attentiveMMNLDN |
| spellingShingle | Xin Chen Jianqin Wang Ji Lu A Cross-Language Study of Tonal Variants in Mandarin in Different Attentional Conditions Behavioral Sciences second-language learners tone variants attentive and pre-attentive MMN LDN |
| title | A Cross-Language Study of Tonal Variants in Mandarin in Different Attentional Conditions |
| title_full | A Cross-Language Study of Tonal Variants in Mandarin in Different Attentional Conditions |
| title_fullStr | A Cross-Language Study of Tonal Variants in Mandarin in Different Attentional Conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Cross-Language Study of Tonal Variants in Mandarin in Different Attentional Conditions |
| title_short | A Cross-Language Study of Tonal Variants in Mandarin in Different Attentional Conditions |
| title_sort | cross language study of tonal variants in mandarin in different attentional conditions |
| topic | second-language learners tone variants attentive and pre-attentive MMN LDN |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/3/304 |
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