Abstract

This study explored the effects of pronunciation teaching on the L2 acquisition of the four tones that characterize the Mandarin Chinese (MC) tonal system (Qu, 2013):
T1: High and level
T2: High-rising
T3: Low-falling and rising
T4: High-falling
Research indicates that L1 and L2 acquisition of MC tones obeys a developmental sequence suggesting a markedness hierarchy for tones: T1 > T4 > T2 > T3 (Zhang, 2007; where > indicates “acquired before” and “less marked than”). In a study on the acquisition of foreign /s/ + consonant onset clusters (sC; e.g., /st/ in stop) by Brazilian Portuguese speakers, Cardoso (2011a) and Cardoso and Collins (2015) found that students who were taught exclusively the most marked sC acquired all the other clusters, but those who were instructed from least to most marked or all at the same time did not show similar progress. The goal of this study was to apply similar methods to investigate the effects of type of instruction on the acquisition of these tones by L2 learners.
Sixty-two participants, selected for their inexperience with tonal languages, were divided into two experimental groups to be instructed Mandarin’s tonal system: one was taught exclusively the most marked tone (T3) during instruction, while the other received instruction in a less marked tone (T4). Both groups were assessed on their ability to perceive and produce the tones they were instructed in and transfer their skills to the other tones. Results indicate that instruction of the most marked tone (T3) is more effective in terms of both accurate perception and production of MC tones. Our discussion highlights the pedagogical implications of our findings, particularly regarding the teaching of items that follow a developmental sequence in L2 phonology.