Unravelling the complexities of intonational learning and transfer in second language speech

语音的一个重要方面是语调，即说话时音调的变化。语调不仅在传达意义方面起着重要作用，它还为听话者提供有关说话人的信息，包括他们的身份(如性别或年龄)、情感状态(说话人是快乐的还是悲伤的等)，以及社会地位或阶层。众所周知，语言的语调不同，因此语调有时被称为一种语言的旋律。由于我们对说话人的印象在很大程度上取决于我们在演讲中使用音调的方式，这种特定语言的差异可能会在来自不同文化背景的说话人之间造成相当大的误解，而与不同社会群体或社区相关的许多刻板印象实际上可能源于他们。因此，重要的是要确定跨语言语调差异的基础是什么，以及母语与目的语在某些语调特征上不同的二语学习者是如何实现这些差异的。从科学的角度来看，建立这一点告诉我们语言是如何学习和存储的，以及第一语言和第二语言是如何相互作用的。在实践方面，如果我们能够基本了解哪些语调特征容易从第一语言中迁移出来，最终将有助于改进语言课程，促进跨语言交际。例如，德国英语学习者的语调相对平淡和低调，可能会使他们听起来“阴郁、教条或迂腐”，因此，英语听众可能会认为他们不妥协和固执己见(Trim 1988，引用于Grabe 1998)，这一例子表明，基于语调的印象可能会导致对国家或语言群体的毫无根据的刻板印象。这笔奖学金将支持在同行评议的国际期刊上完成一系列研究文章，这些文章讨论了跨语言语调差异的问题，以及二语学习者如何产生语调差异。语调可以在许多方面有所不同：通过语调模式的变化；这些模式的实现方式(例如，它们是在高音域中产生的吗？或者它们很平淡？)；它们的使用频率(哪种模式更常用？)；它们的使用是为了表示语调功能(例如，为了突出话语的某些部分，或者为了区分陈述和疑问句)。这一系列文章将沿着语调的这些维度来探索二语语调，并确定哪些跨语言差异更容易在不同的熟练程度上从第一语言迁移。调查结果将通过研讨会、会议报告和向用户(如第二语言学习者本身)演示的方式公布。

An important aspect of speech is intonation, i.e. the variation of pitch while speaking. Not only does intonation play an important role in conveying meaning, it also provides the listener with information about the speaker, including aspects of their identity (such as gender or age), affective state (whether the speaker is happy, sad, etc.), and social status or class. It is well known that languages differ in intonation, so that intonation is sometimes referred to as the melody of a language. Since a good deal of the impression we derive about speakers depends on the way we use pitch in speech, such language-specific differences may cause considerable misunderstanding between speakers from different cultural backgrounds and many stereotypes associated with different social groups or communities may in fact stem from them. It is therefore important to establish what the basis is of cross-language differences in intonation, and how they are realised by L2 learners with an L1 which differs from the target language in some properties of intonation. From a scientific point of view, establishing this tells us about how languages are learned and stored, and how the L1 and L2 interact with one another. On the practical side, if we can gain a basic understanding of which properties of intonation are susceptible to transfer from the L1, it would eventually allow improved language courses and improve cross-language communication. For example, the relatively flat and low intonation of German learners of English may make them sound 'bleak, dogmatic or pedantic, and as a result, English listeners may consider them uncompromising and self-opinionated' (Trim 1988, as quoted in Grabe 1998), an example which illustrates that impressions based on intonation may lead to ill-founded stereotypes about national or linguistic groups. This fellowship will support the completion of a series of research articles in peer-reviewed, international journals, which address the question of cross-language differences in intonation and how they are produced by L2 learners. Intonation can be varied in a number of ways: through variations in its inventory of intonation patterns; the way these patters are realised (e.g. are they produced in a high register? Or are they rather flat?); their frequency of use (which pattern is more commonly used?); and their use to signal intonational function (e.g. to highlight parts of an utterance, or to distinguish statements from questions). The series of articles will explore L2 intonation along these dimensions of intonation, and establish which cross-language differences are more susceptible to transfer from the L1 at different stages of proficiency. Findings will be publicised by means of a workshop, conference presentations, and presentations to users (such as the L2 learners themselves).