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Acoustic Properties of Acoustic Properties of Taiwanese High School Taiwanese High School
StudentsStudents’’ Stress in English Stress in English IntonationIntonation
Advisor: Dr. Raung-Fu ChungAdvisor: Dr. Raung-Fu Chung
Student: Hong-Yao ChenStudent: Hong-Yao Chen
Chapter OneChapter One
IntroductionIntroduction
Background and MotivationBackground and Motivation Speaking fluent English is a hot issue in Taiwan Speaking fluent English is a hot issue in Taiwan
nownow English stress is a key for English speechEnglish stress is a key for English speech Without appropriate stress, English is like a musical Without appropriate stress, English is like a musical
instrument with only a single and boring melody.instrument with only a single and boring melody. Most of the studies focus on vocabulary, grammar, Most of the studies focus on vocabulary, grammar,
and reading rather than English stress.and reading rather than English stress. Mandarin and Southern Min are tone languages.Mandarin and Southern Min are tone languages. English is a stress language.English is a stress language.
If Taiwanese students do without their stress, they If Taiwanese students do without their stress, they have no way to can not improve English.have no way to can not improve English.
Few studies have been concerned with Few studies have been concerned with suprasegmental concepts, such as stress, intonation, suprasegmental concepts, such as stress, intonation, rhythm.rhythm.
Kuo (2004) indicated that high and low level Kuo (2004) indicated that high and low level students seem to have no different on cognition, but students seem to have no different on cognition, but high level students did better than low ones on high level students did better than low ones on production performance.production performance.
Purposes of the Study
To compare the pitch contour produced by To compare the pitch contour produced by Taiwanese students and NS based on acoustic Taiwanese students and NS based on acoustic measurements.measurements.
To understand TJH and TSH students’ attitude To understand TJH and TSH students’ attitude toward English stress learning and the concept of toward English stress learning and the concept of English stress.English stress.
To know if Taiwanese EFL learners’ pronunciation To know if Taiwanese EFL learners’ pronunciation performance can be improved from Junior to Senior performance can be improved from Junior to Senior High School.High School.
Research Questions
What is the difference between native speakers’ and Taiwanese EFL learners’ stress patterns at the sentence level?
What is the difference between junior and senior high school students in terms of sentential stress?
What is the role of stress concepts in EFL learners’ pronunciation?
Chapter TwoChapter Two
Literature Literature ReviewReview
Chapter ThreeChapter Three
MethodologyMethodology
SubjectsSubjectsNo.No. GroupGroup GendGend
ererAgeAge GradeGrade
NSNS 1616 Group AGroup A
Group BGroup BMaleMale 21-2221-22 sophomorsophomor
ee
JHJH 1212 MaleMale 15-1615-16 9th9th
SHSH 1616 G G GroupGroup
I GroupI Group
MaleMale 16-1716-17 11th11th
InstrumentsInstruments Questionnaire for Taiwanese students.Questionnaire for Taiwanese students. Oral reading text focused on subjects’ performance on Oral reading text focused on subjects’ performance on
English stress.English stress.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ S1: My family bought some delicious seafood in the
supermarket yesterday. S2: The teacher asked us to review the conversation taught
today and preview a new one for tomorrow. S3: It is impossible for him to volunteer to help others. S4: Forty Americans came to visit Taiwan last Sunday. S5: I usually prepare some bananas and vegetables for my
child in the afternoon.
Study ProceduresStudy Procedures
Intonation analysis
Chapter FourChapter Four
Stress: Results and Stress: Results and DiscussionDiscussion
NS Group ANS Group A1. 1.
mymy FAM FAMily BOUGHTily BOUGHT some deLIcious some deLIcious SEASEAfood in the food in the SUSUpermarket YESterday.permarket YESterday.
Comparing the average pitch Comparing the average pitch contour of NS Groups A and Bcontour of NS Groups A and B
Both two groups had the prominent Both two groups had the prominent stress on the words, stress on the words, ““family,family,”” ““seafood,seafood,”” and and ““supermarket.supermarket.””
0
50
100
150
200
250
My fam
i ly
boug
ht
some de li
cious sea food in the su per
mar ket
yes ter day
Syllables
Pitch
(Hz)
Group A Group B
JH Group JH Group
92-F0-2
0
50
100
150
200
250
The teac er
aske us to re
view the con ver sa
tion taug to
day and previe
wa
new one for tomo
rrow
There was not a main focus prominence There was not a main focus prominence in the sentence. in the sentence.
There was all equal pitch value in the There was all equal pitch value in the contour without any fluctuation. contour without any fluctuation.
88-F0-2
0
50
100
150
200
250
The
teac er
aske us to re
view th
e
con ver sa
tion
taug to
day
and pre
view
a
new one for to
mor row
The function word, The function word, ““himhim”” became the became the most prominent stress in this sentence most prominent stress in this sentence which was intonation stress level.which was intonation stress level.
SH Good GroupSH Good Group
The pitch contour looks like fluctuation, The pitch contour looks like fluctuation, but itbut it’’s irregular pattern.s irregular pattern.
The function words, The function words, ““ItIt”” and and ““himhim”” shouldnshouldn’’t be highlighted.t be highlighted.
Most of the content words had rising and Most of the content words had rising and falling tones.falling tones.
However, all of them presented equal pitch However, all of them presented equal pitch value.value.
There were no stress at the intonation level.There were no stress at the intonation level.
SH Inferior GroupSH Inferior Group
It was not so fluctuate, but there were It was not so fluctuate, but there were some rising and falling tones.some rising and falling tones.
Most of the words seem to be focused Most of the words seem to be focused with similar pitch value.with similar pitch value.
Function words were focused in the Function words were focused in the sentence as intonation stress.sentence as intonation stress.
Comparing the Taiwanese SH Comparing the Taiwanese SH Groups Groups
Two patterns seems almost the same.Two patterns seems almost the same. Good Group presented more higher than Good Group presented more higher than
Inferior Group on pitch value.Inferior Group on pitch value.
050
100150200250
For ty A
mer i
cans
cam
e to vis it
Tai
wan last
Sun
day
Syllables
Pitc
h (H
z)
Good Group Inferior Group
The Reference Groups VS JH The Reference Groups VS JH Group Group
Group A has great fluctuation in pitch Group A has great fluctuation in pitch contours, and Group B and JH Group contours, and Group B and JH Group seem to present the flat pitch pattern. seem to present the flat pitch pattern.
0
50
100
150
200
250
The
teac er
aske us to re
view th
e
con
ver sa
tion
taug to
day
and
pre
view
a
new
one for to
mor row
Syllables
Pitc
h (H
z)
JH Group NS Group A NS Group B
The Reference Groups VS SH The Reference Groups VS SH Groups Groups
Native speakers put the stress on the syllable, Native speakers put the stress on the syllable, ““PRE.PRE.”” However, both of SH groups produced However, both of SH groups produced the prominence on the syllable, the prominence on the syllable, ““VIEW.VIEW.””
0
50
100
150
200
250
The
teac er
aske us to re
view the con ver sa
tion
taug to
day
and pre
view a
new one for to
mor
row
Syllables
Pitch
(Hz)
NS Group A NS Group B SH Good Group SH Inferior Group
JH Group VS SH Groups JH Group VS SH Groups
Although the word, Although the word, ““teacherteacher”” looks like the most looks like the most prominent in the sentence, the movements among prominent in the sentence, the movements among those content words always show at the same pitch. those content words always show at the same pitch.
There is no the most focus syllable in the sentence.There is no the most focus syllable in the sentence.
0
50
100
150
200
250
The
teac er
aske us to re
view th
e
con
ver sa
tion
taug to
day
and
pre
view
a
new
one
for to
mor
row
Syllables
Pitc
h (H
z)
JH Group SH Good Group SH Inferior Group
0
50
100
150
The
teac er
aske us to re
view th
e
con
ver sa
tion
taug to
day
and
pre
view
a
new
one
for to
mor
row
Syllables
Pitc
h (H
z)
JH Group SH Good Group SH Inferior Group
Comparing all groups of Comparing all groups of participants participants
Taiwanese high school students presented much flat Taiwanese high school students presented much flat pitch contour in comparison with the reference group.pitch contour in comparison with the reference group.
EFL students seem to be lack of English stress EFL students seem to be lack of English stress knowledge. knowledge.
0
50
100
150
200
250
For A i
came vis Ta
i
last
day
Syllables
Pitch
(Hz)
JH Group SH Group NS Group A NS Group B
ConclusionConclusion Group A produced prominent pitch contours Group A produced prominent pitch contours
with correct rising and falling tones.with correct rising and falling tones. Though Group B didnThough Group B didn’’t have fluctuation t have fluctuation
pitch contours, they had the same stress pitch contours, they had the same stress placement as Group A.placement as Group A.
Taiwanese high school groups seem to lack Taiwanese high school groups seem to lack sufficient awareness of English stress sufficient awareness of English stress because they highlighted the function because they highlighted the function words, produced with flat contours, and words, produced with flat contours, and uttered with almost the same pitch value on uttered with almost the same pitch value on each syllable.each syllable.
Chapter Five Stress Chapter Five Stress based on based on
QuestionairesQuestionaires
Participants Background and English Stress Participants Background and English Stress LearningLearning
Students should get authentic sounds from Students should get authentic sounds from teaching CDs rather than English teacher teaching CDs rather than English teacher whose L1 is Mandarin.whose L1 is Mandarin.
Due to the neglect by English teachers, Due to the neglect by English teachers, students pay less attention to English stress students pay less attention to English stress learning. learning.
According to the questionnaires, students think According to the questionnaires, students think that stress was a little important to speak good that stress was a little important to speak good English.English.
To speak native-like English, English teachers To speak native-like English, English teachers and students should concentrate on English and students should concentrate on English stress teaching and learning.stress teaching and learning.
Chapter SixChapter Six
Concluding Concluding RemarksRemarks
Summary of the Findings Summary of the Findings JH and SH studentsJH and SH students’’ pitch contour: flat pitch contour: flat
and no focus; NS Group B seems flat, but and no focus; NS Group B seems flat, but similar with Group A. similar with Group A.
Taiwanese students focus on function Taiwanese students focus on function words.words.
According to acoustic observation, junior According to acoustic observation, junior and senior high school students speak and senior high school students speak English with the same way.English with the same way.
According to the questionnaire, no According to the questionnaire, no matter which groups, they still think that matter which groups, they still think that English stress is difficult for them.English stress is difficult for them.
Theoretical ImplicationsTheoretical Implications
Native speakersNative speakers’’ stress is not stress is not regularly confined to the patterns regularly confined to the patterns revealed in the textbooks. revealed in the textbooks.
Two types of stress patterns are Two types of stress patterns are identified: flat, fluctuate, according identified: flat, fluctuate, according to my studies here.to my studies here.
The theory of Stress Griding is not The theory of Stress Griding is not always working for pronunciation always working for pronunciation teaching.teaching.
Pedagogical Implications Pedagogical Implications In Taiwan, pronunciation tests havenIn Taiwan, pronunciation tests haven’’t t
involved into senior high school and involved into senior high school and university entrance exams, so teachers university entrance exams, so teachers might ignore pronunciation instruction.might ignore pronunciation instruction.
If Taiwanese English teachers are If Taiwanese English teachers are concerned with pronunciation issues, most concerned with pronunciation issues, most of the teachers will focus on the segmental of the teachers will focus on the segmental field (i.e., consonant and vowel) rather than field (i.e., consonant and vowel) rather than suprasegmental (i.e., stress, intonation, and suprasegmental (i.e., stress, intonation, and rhythm).rhythm).
According to Fan (2010), teaching prosodic According to Fan (2010), teaching prosodic features helps student improve English features helps student improve English speaking.speaking.
Thanks for Your Thanks for Your AttentionAttention
