Paragraph-Declination in Read Speech of Native and Non-Native Speakers of English


Book Description

Seminar paper from the year 2005 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 1,3, University of Freiburg (Englisches Seminar), course: Hauptseminar Prosody, language: English, abstract: Declination in prosody refers to the fact that the pitch of the voice is most commonly on average lower at the end of a prosodic unit than it is at the beginning, especially in controlled (read) speech. The main concerns of this paper are the analysis and comparison of the paragraph- declination of read speech of native and non-native speakers of English. More precisely, the analysis and comparison of the paragraph-pitch-patterns in the English of a native speaker and of a speaker with the tone language Chinese as her native language. Do distinct differences between the pitch-curves (i.e. the curves of the F0-formants) exist, and, if so, what might be the reasons for those differences? Does the particular feature of the tone language Chinese, i.e. the word-meaning-defining pitch, in any way affect paragraph-declination in L2-English? Or does this feature have no effect on paragraph-declination at all, maybe for physiological reasons? For this purpose, two speech samples of read speech will be divided into paratones and the pitch-curves of the paratones of the intonation and tone language will then be measured and compared. But beforehand, a brief outline of the main differences between tone and intonation languages will be provided. A short definition of declination in prosody and two ways of defining prosodic domains follow.



















7 Weeks to a Better American Accent for Native Mandarin Speakers-


Book Description

Discover Insider Secrets and specialized strategies to succeed in speaking conversational American English with ease!! Are you a Native Chinese student or professional struggling with trying to achieve the American Accent? Has it been difficult as an English language learner how to correct your pronunciation? 7 weeks to a Better American accent for the Native Mandarin Speaker- vol. 1, is the first series specifically designed for the native Chinese speaker to overcome common language challenges with intonation and American English pronunciation. It is a challenge going from Chinese to English. Speaking English will be easier as you continue to learn English and how to speak English. The Mp3 Audio files are critical for you to get comfortable in how to learn English conversation and pronunciation. This is available at CDbaby (dot) com under the same name as this course. Remember be patient with yourself and know that this is a process that requires patience. It takes persistence to learn English pronunciation and the American Accent. It is possible for Chinese students to learn to speak English. Many native Chinese speakers have difficulty with the mastery of the English language, and want to speak English better for career advancement. This series give Native Chinese speakers specialized strategies to master conversational American English with greater fluency. This fun and exciting new series, is intended primarily for individuals who have basic to intermediate skills regarding English grammar and vocabulary. The program can be useful for Chinese to English translations, Native Chinese professionals who are looking to polish their business English skills, Chinese students who are attending colleges and universities, and English as a second language professionals. This American accent program is self paced, however is designed to be completed in 7 weeks. This initial series (volume 1), consists of a 70 page workbook complete with bonus materials and 16 MP3 Audio files. The MP3 Audio files are a vital component of this program and should not be missed. This workbook does not contain the Audio files (per Amazon rules) and the user must purchase these Audio files separately. The MP3 Audio Files will enable the reader to hear the American accent coach pronunciation using the standard Midwestern American accent. The combination of hearing the speech samples and following the workbook will enable the reader to make rapid progress as they continue the series. Don't forget to pick up the Audio files at CD baby dot com and set at least 30 minutes daily to practice and learn English conversation.




Journal of Asian Pacific Communication


Book Description

Research into language issues and communication problems is investigated across a range of disciplines and appears in a wide diversity of published outlets. In addition, any linguistic and communication problems faced by Southeast Asian immigrants elsewhere in the world are also located in disparate contexts. This journal is the first real attempt to provide a forum for such widespread concerns to be published in the English Language.