The Higher the Bilingual Balance, the Better the Perception of L3 Phonemes? Taking the Learning of English Vowels by Kazakh-Chinese Bilinguals as an Example

doi:10.12139/j.1672-0628.2023.03.003

Abstract

Abstract:

Previous studies have not reached a consensus on whether the bilingual balance of bilinguals is related to the acquisition of L3 phonetics. This study explored the impact of bilingual balance, that is, the proficiency level of non-dominant language (Chinese) among Kazakh-Chinese bilinguals, on phonemic learning in a third language (English). Kazakh-Chinese bilinguals are divided into two groups based on level of bilingual balance, completing tasks such as Kazakh vowel perception, Chinese vowel perception, and English vowel perception. The results showed that: Firstly, there was no significant difference in English vowel identification between the high and low bilingual balance groups, but there were significant differences in their English vowel perception confusion patterns. The low bilingual balance group exhibited more complex confusion patterns in English vowel perception confusion compared to the high bilingual balance group. Secondly, the dominant language in the low bilingual balance group could not effectively explain L3 phonemic perception, but the phonemic perception level of non-dominant language had a higher explanatory rate on L3 phonemic perception than the high bilingual balance group. This indicates that bilingual balance affects the pattern of L3 vowel perception confusion, and the English vowel confusion types in the low bilingual balance group are worse than those in the high bilingual balance group. In addition, the lower the bilingual balance, the higher the explanatory rate of non-dominant language phoneme perception on L3 phoneme perception.

Key words: Kazakh-Chinese bilinguals, bilingual balance, L3 learning, vowel perception

摘要：

已有研究对于双语平衡度是否与三语音系习得水平存在联系并未达成一致。本研究以双语平衡度，即哈萨克语−汉语双语者的非优势语言(汉语)熟悉度水平作为自变量，探索其对三语(英语)音位学习的影响。根据双语平衡度水平将被试分为两组，分别完成哈萨克语元音感知、汉语元音感知和英语元音感知任务。结果发现：首先，高、低双语平衡度组的英语元音识别能力不存在显著差别，但其英语元音感知混淆模式存在很大不同，低双语平衡度组的英语元音感知混淆较高双语平衡度组呈现出更为复杂的混淆模式。其次，低双语平衡度组中的优势语言不能有效地解释三语音位感知，非优势语言的音位感知水平对三语音位感知能力的解释率高于高双语平衡度组。这说明双语平衡度影响了三语元音感知。此外，双语间越不均衡，非优势语言的音位感知水平对三语音位感知的解释率越高。

关键词: 哈萨克语?汉语双语者, 双语平衡度, 三语学习, 元音感知

CLC Number:

B842

Zongyi HAN, Rui WAN, Jingzhou XU, Gaohaer JIAERKEN, Libo QIAO, Wei HU, Lihong WANG. The Higher the Bilingual Balance, the Better the Perception of L3 Phonemes? Taking the Learning of English Vowels by Kazakh-Chinese Bilinguals as an Example[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2023, 21(3): 304-311.

韩宗义, 万锐, 徐静舟, 高哈尔•加尔肯, 乔立波, 胡伟, 王丽红. 双语平衡度越高，三语音位感知越好？—以哈萨克语−汉语双语者的英语元音学习为例[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2023, 21(3): 304-311.

Figures/Tables 7

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	高双语平衡度组 (n=30)	低双语平衡度组 (n=20)	组间差异显著性
性别	男19，女11	男13，女7	>0.05
年龄(岁)	21.50±1.20	20.80±1.40	>0.05
汉语使用率	5.60±0.30	0.60±0.30	<0.01
英语使用时长(小时/周)	11.50±3.10	10.80±3.50	>0.05
英语学习起始年龄(岁)	8.20±0.30	8.30±0.40	>0.05

	高双语平衡度组 (n=30)	低双语平衡度组 (n=20)	组间差异显著性
性别	男19，女11	男13，女7	>0.05
年龄(岁)	21.50±1.20	20.80±1.40	>0.05
汉语使用率	5.60±0.30	0.60±0.30	<0.01
英语使用时长(小时/周)	11.50±3.10	10.80±3.50	>0.05
英语学习起始年龄(岁)	8.20±0.30	8.30±0.40	>0.05

	英语元音识别正确率
	全部被试 (n=50)	高双语平衡度组 (n=30)	低双语平衡度组 (n=20)
哈萨克语元音识别正确率	0.27^†	0.31^†	0.27
汉语元音识别正确率	0.40^*	0.30^†	0.62^**

	英语元音识别正确率
	全部被试 (n=50)	高双语平衡度组 (n=30)	低双语平衡度组 (n=20)
哈萨克语元音识别正确率	0.27^†	0.31^†	0.27
汉语元音识别正确率	0.40^*	0.30^†	0.62^**

组别	步骤	参数
组别	步骤	β	t	R²	∆R²	∆F
全部被试	第一步：哈萨克语	0.30	2.44^*	0.07	0.07	3.90^*
全部被试	第二步：汉语	0.43	3.42^**	0.26	0.18	11.69^**
高双语平衡度组	第一步：哈萨克语	0.42	2.44^*	0.09	0.09	3.04^†
高双语平衡度组	第二步：汉语	0.41	2.41^*	0.25	0.16	5.83^*
低双语平衡度组	第一步：哈萨克语	0.18	1.01	0.07	0.07	1.42
低双语平衡度组	第二步：汉语	0.59	3.23^**	0.42	0.35	10.44^**