• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.71-79
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• 2013

This study provided longitudinal examination of the Chinese learners' acquisition of the Korean vowels. Specifically the author examined whether Korean monophthongs are acquired rapidly in early stages of learning (Flege, Munro and Skelton, 1992; Munro and Derwing, 2008) or they develop rather gradually in proportion to the learners' experience (Byee, 2001; Ellis, 2006). This study collected the Korean vowel production by 23 Chinese learners for a year, and then analysed F1 and F2 of each Korean vowel. The results showed that 1) Most of the second language (L2) vowels were rapidly improved during the first six or nine months of Korean learning before reaching the constant stage; and 2) The exact acquisition trajectories varied across the seven vowels. Specifically the vowels which were acquired in the early stage of learning were /i, e, ɨ/ for F1 and /ʌ, e, o, u/ for F2. Thus this study supports the hypothesis of Flege et al. (1992) and Munro and Derwing (2008) except the fact that each vowel showed the different learning route.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to investigate how Chinese learners of Korean produce Korean plain plosives differently in a reading passage and isolated sentences. There are several studies on Korean plosives produced by Chinese speakers, but the study comparing the production of reading passage and isolated sentences are rare. For these purposes, ten Chinese speakers' VOT values of Korean plain plosives were measured using Speech Analyzer. The results show that there is no significant difference between the plain plosive production of a reading passage and that of isolated sentences. In the further studies, the measurement of pitch with VOT is needed.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.35-47
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of Chinese high and level vs. rising tone on the pitch pattern of corresponding Sino-Korean words delivered by Chinese learners of Korean and to examine the aspects how these two tones of corresponding Chinese words affect the pitch patterns of Sino-Korean words. Scope of this research is limited to the Chinese learners of Korean, especially when they pronounce same-form-same-meaning Sino-Korean words. In this study, Chinese learners pronounced both Chinese words and corresponding Sino-Korean words. By using the software learners' pitch pattern were recorded, analyzed, and compared with the tone of corresponding Chinese words. Experimental results showed that Sino-Korean words were affected by Chinese 'high and level tone - high and level tone', 'high and level tone - rising tone', 'high and level tone - falling-rising tone', 'high and level tone - falling tone' and 'rising tone - falling tone' when they started with lenis sounds. On the other hand when Sino-Korean words started with aspirated sounds they were affected by Chinese 'rising tone - high and level tone', 'rising tone - rising tone', 'rising tone - falling-rising tone', 'rising tone - falling tone'. In conclusion, the Chinese learners' pitch patterns of Sino-Korean words are affected by both Chinese high and level & rising tone, especially when Sino-Korean words started with lenis sounds they were more affected by Chinese high and level tone, on the other hand Chinese rising tone influence Sino-Korean words more when they were started with aspirated sounds.