汉语语音意识研究:以粤方言为例

A Study on Phonological Awareness of Chinese Speakers:The Example of Cantonese

本文通过语音意识测试探究汉语成人探测、操纵不同语音单位的能力,并讨论汉语人群押韵与基本的语音感知单位,以及汉语拼音知识对汉语人群建立语音意识的影响。实验以肇庆端州粤方言考察当地有/无拼音能力的两组成人被试(每组15人)在七项语音意识测试(音节意识,韵母探测,声调探测,声母探测,韵母替代,声调替代,声母删除)中的表现。测试结果显示:两组被试音节意识均完备;拼音组能熟练探测、操纵声韵调单位,非拼音组难以单独操纵声韵调,但有一定的探测能力,其中探测韵母最佳,声调次之,声母最差;产生给定刺激的押韵音节不需要从音节中提取韵母的能力;拼音组可在声-韵母边界切开音节,非拼音组不能;拼音习得会改变汉语人群的语音基本感知模式。

The current research aims to explore the phonological awareness(PA)patterns of Cantonese-speaking adults with and without Pinyin literacy by comparing their competence in detecting and manipulating phonological components of various grain sizes.Thirty Cantonese-speaking adults,with fifteen literate in both Chinese characters and Pinyin(Pinyin Group)while fifteen only literate in Chinese characters(Non-Pinyin Group)were tested on seven PA subtests(i.e.,Syllable Awareness,Rime Detection,Tone Detection,Onset Detection,Rime Substitution,Tone Substitution and Onset Deletion).Results revealed that compared to Pinyin Group,Non-Pinyin Group showed comparable performance in Syllable Awareness subtest,but scored significantly lower in other subtests regarding onset,rime and tone even after controlling age,education and non-verbal intelligence.More specifically,we found(1)both groups exhibited good syllable awareness;(2)Pinyin Group could skillfully detect and manipulate phonological units at onset,rime and tone levels while the Non-Pinyin Group could hardly manipulate these phonological components,though they could partially detect them with highest accuracy in rime,followed by tone and onset;(3)Pinyin literacy or onset-rime boundary awareness were not prerequisites for producing rhymes;(4)subjects with Pinyin mastery could delete the onset of a syllable with ease at onset-rime boundary while those who only literate in Chinese characters could not.Our results indicate that without Pinyin literacy,the smallest phonological component that Chinese speakers can be naturally aware of is syllable,and the acquisition of Pinyin knowledge seems to alter their natural perceptual pattern by refining their PA to phonemic level.