English learners' perception and production of Mandarin intonation

This study investigates pitch interplay in non-native (L2) speech. Specifically, experiments were conducted to examine how native English speakers perceive and produce Mandarin statements and unmarked questions. Results from the perceptual experiment showed English listeners did not resolve the simultaneous pitch cues from intonation and tone the same way as native Mandarin speakers. They had less difficulty identifying intonation when the pitch movement of intonation and tone was in the same direction versus when they were not. The production experiment showed that the intelligibility of the English speakers’ question intonation was especially compromised due likely to their narrower pitch range than that found in native production.