漢語二語學習者情感語調表達之聲調偏誤研究 — 以英語母語者為研究對象

Abstract

聲調作為漢語語言中重要的特點之一，學習及掌握聲調為漢語學習者必經的過程。過去許多學者致力於了解學習者的聲調偏誤成因，發現不同語言在音高使用上的習慣相異，此為造成學習者產生聲調偏誤的重要原因之一，然而，母語語調如何影響華語聲調的習得卻鮮有深入討論。筆者透過自身在美國教學的經驗發現，學習者在情感態度表達時，特別容易產生聲調偏誤，有鑒於此，本研究欲探究情感語調對於學習者聲調的影響。 本研究首先透過文獻探討了解漢語及英語的音高使用差異，並討論目前聲調偏誤研究之現況。接著設計相關刺激材料，對八位中文程度中級以上的英語母語人士及八位中文母語人士進行實驗，並以另外三位中文母語人士針對學習者之聲調偏誤和情緒自然度進行評分，此外，筆者亦對受試者之聲調走勢、聲調斜率、音域範圍及音長進行量化分析。 實驗結果顯示，學習者在無情緒朗讀的情況下，聲調正確性相當高，在加入高激發（驚訝、興奮、惱怒、堅持）及低激發（冷靜、失望、無聊、疲累）的情緒因素後，聲調偏誤程度有所上升。不同情緒的偏誤情形受英語語調影響而有所差異：在高激發的興奮、惱怒、堅持情緒中，學習者平均三聲偏誤情況最多，一聲最少，驚訝情緒的英語語調與其他高激發情緒相反，因此在驚訝情緒下，學習者一聲偏誤最多，而三聲偏誤較少。在低激發情緒下，由於英語習慣使用較中性語調低的音高，導致學習者的四聲偏誤程度最高，一聲次之。 相比於學習者，中文母語者能較彈性地利用音高整體調階及音域大小的調整來達到情感態度表達的語用目的；學習者則相對依賴其母語中的情感語調表達手段，利用線性上升與下降的音高變化來傳達情感態度，因此導致相關的聲調偏誤產生。 本文最後提出此研究成果帶來的教學啟發及未來展望，以供未來研究者及教學現場老師參考。

Tone is one of the most important features of the Chinese language, and mastering it is an essential process for Chinese learners. Many scholars have devoted themselves to understanding the causes of tone errors among learners and have found that differences in pitch usage habits across languages are a significant factor contributing to these errors. However, there has been little in-depth discussion on how native intonation influences the acquisition of Chinese tones. Through my teaching experience in the United States, I observed that learners are particularly prone to tone errors when expressing emotional attitudes. In light of this, the present study aims to explore the impact of emotional intonation on learners' tone accuracy. This study first reviewed the differences in pitch usage between Chinese and English and discussed the current state of research on tone errors. The study then designed relevant stimulus materials and conducted experiments with eight learners of Chinese with proficiency above the intermediate level, all of whom are native English speakers, as well as eight native Chinese speakers. Three additional native Chinese speakers were recruited as raters to evaluate the tone errors of the learners and the naturalness of emotional expression. The study also analyzed the participants' pitch contours, tone slope, pitch range, and duration. The results of the experiment showed that learners exhibited high tone accuracy in neutral reading conditions. However, when high-arousal emotions such as surprised, excited, irritated, and insistent were introduced, as well as low-arousal emotions such as calm, disappointed, bored, and tired, the degree of tone errors increased. The errors varied depending on the type of emotion and were influenced by English intonation: in high-arousal emotions such as excited, irritated, and insistent, learners made the most errors with the third tone and the fewest with the first tone. In contrast, in the emotion of surprise, which has an intonation pattern opposite to other high-arousal emotions in English, learners made the most errors with the first tone and fewer errors with the third tone. In low-arousal emotions, due to the English habit of using a lower pitch than in neutral intonation, learners made the most errors with the fourth tone, followed by the first tone. Compared to learners, native Chinese speakers were more flexible in adjusting overall pitch level and pitch range to achieve pragmatic goals in expressing emotional attitudes. In contrast, learners relied more on emotional intonation patterns from their native language, using linear pitch rises and falls to convey emotional attitudes, which led to related tone errors. Finally, this paper concludes by presenting the pedagogical implications of the research findings and future perspectives, providing references for future researchers and educators in the field.