An Analysis of the Second and Third Tone Errors Made by Elementary School Students of Western Rukai in Pingtung ─ a Case Study of an Elementary School in Qing-Ye Village

• Main Authors: SHIH, YA-CHU, 石雅竹
• Other Authors: YEN, LI-MO
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/59100612499038303876

碩士 === 國立屏東教育大學 === 華語文教學碩士學位學程 === 102 === This study aimed to investigate the tonal errors of the second-tone and the third-tone made by the elementary school children of Western Rukai, while determining the patterns of error and causes. The author designed and administered an oral production and a tonal recognition test of disyllabic words. The author identified that subjects tend to make errors in the following combinations: “2nd+2nd tone, 2nd +3rd tone, 3rd+2nd tone, and 3rd+3rd tone. ” and chose 45 disyllabic words each from the aforementioned combinations. The findings of the study are summarized as follows:(1) In the oral production test, the author observed it being difficult for subjects to control the tone in the second syllable, especially when the first syllable is a second- tone. (2) In the tonal recognition test, the results revealed that: 1. Subjects made errors in pronouncing the second-tone and the third-tone. 2. Subjects can distinguish the difference between the second- tone and the third- tone but can’t pronounce them correctly. 3. Subjects tend to confuse the second-tone with third-tone. In summary, subjects are influenced by the stress placement of their mother tongue and under the Indigenous -Mandarin environment, they lack of the experiences of tonal recognition. Furthermore, this study did not identify any patterns of tonal errors. Based on this study, the author will offer some suggestions to improve the language teaching of indigenous children.