Abstract Accurate and standard pronunciation is one of the key elements of evaluating the effectiveness of oral communication and the basic literacy of language learners. As Chinese students keep encountering difficulties in English pronunciation during their language acquisition process due to the interference of their mother tongue -- Chinese, it becomes even more necessary to be aware of the distinctions of the two languages and in what way one influences the acquisition of the other. Chinese and English phonetic systems have significant differences as well as the slight ones. So it is only common that EFL learners will from time to time find it difficult to sound like a native speaker, as they are influenced by their mother tongue to varying degrees.46947
This paper illustrates the difficulties Chinese EFL learners may encounter while producing English vowels and consonants and explores the reasons of these common errors on the theoretical basis of negative transfer by exploring the differences between Chinese and English phonetic systems and that if the mispronunciation can be avoided. Furthermore, it provides suggestions on the ways to eliminate the effect of negative transfer of Chinese on English pronunciation so as to smooth away the difficulties in the acquisition of English pronunciation.
Key words: negative transfer; Chinese and English phonetic systems; contrastive analysis
从音位学视角看汉语为母语的学习者英语语音学习的负迁移
摘 要发音是衡量语言学习者的基本素养的重要标准之一，准确标准的发音能有效促进语言学习和提高日常交流沟通能力。不同语言的发音体系存在异同，汉语和英语也是一样。由于受母语的影响，中国的学习者在英语语言习得的过程中常常遇到发音方面的障碍。因此，正确地认识英语和汉语两门语言发音间的异同非常重要。本文重点讨论中国的英语学习者在学习英语发音的过程中可能遇到的一些问题，并探讨其原因，提出解决办法和建议。
Contents
1. Introduction..1
1.1 Background and Significance of the Study1
1.2 Layout of the Study2
2. Literature Review.3
2.1 Previous Studies of Chinese and English Phonetic Systems.3
2.2 Previous Studies of Language Transfer and Negative Transfer.3
3. A Contrastive Study of Mandarin Chinese and English Phonetic Systems, Common Mispronunciation and the Reasons...6
3.1 A Contrastive Study of Chinese and English Phonetic Systems...6
3.1.1 Vowels vs. Yunmus.6
3.1.2 Consonants vs. Shengmus..6
3.2. Common Mispronunciation and the Reasons...7
3.2.1 Common Mispronunciation7
3.2.1.1 Errors Caused by Long Vowels..7
3.2.1.2 Errors Caused by Voiceless Consonants7
3.2.1.3 Errors Caused by Consonant Clusters...8
3.2.1.4 Errors Caused by Sound Voicing...9
3.2.2 Causes (The Negative Transfer of Chinese on English Pronunciation)..9
3.2.2.1 Place of Articulation..9
3.2.2.2 Phonological Change...11
3.2.2.3 The Assimilation Rule..11
4. Implications13
5. Conclusion.14
1. Introduction
1.1 Background and Significance of the Study
Solid English fundamental knowledge contains native-like accent, standard grammar and professional diction. Speech and writing are the two major media of communication. Modern linguistics regard the spoken language as the natural or the primary medium of human language for the reasons listed below: 从音位学视角看汉语为母语的学习者英语语音学习的负迁移:http://www.youerw.com/yingyu/lunwen_48841.html