Pitch ability as an aptitude for tone learning

Anita R. Bowles; Charles B. Chang; Valerie P. Karuzis

doi:10.1111/lang.12159

Pitch ability as an aptitude for tone learning

Anita R. Bowles^*
, Charles B. Chang
, Valerie P. Karuzis

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

68 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Tone languages such as Mandarin use voice pitch to signal lexical contrasts, presenting a challenge for second/foreign language (L2) learners whose native languages do not use pitch in this manner. The present study examined components of an aptitude for mastering L2 lexical tone. Native English speakers with no previous tone language experience completed a Mandarin word learning task, as well as tests of pitch ability, musicality, L2 aptitude, and general cognitive ability. Pitch ability measures improved predictions of learning performance beyond musicality, L2 aptitude, and general cognitive ability and also predicted transfer of learning to new talkers. In sum, although certain nontonal measures help predict successful tone learning, the central components of tonal aptitude are pitch-specific perceptual measures. © 2016 Language Learning Research Club, University of Michigan.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	774–808
Journal	Language Learning
Volume	66
Issue number	4
Online published	7 Jan 2016
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12159
Publication status	Published - Dec 2016
Externally published	Yes

Funding

The ﬁndings reported in this article are based on worksupported, in whole or in part, by funding from the United States Government. Any opinions,ﬁndings and conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are our own and donot necessarily reﬂect the views of any of our institutions or any agency of the United StatesGovernment. We thank Jessica Bauman, Alia Biller, Allison Blodgett, Greg Colﬂesh, Ryan Corbett,Joseph Dien, Dimitrios Donavos, Meredith Hughes, Anton Rytting, and Matt Winn for their workon the larger research project associated with this study and Price Bingham, Janet Cook, Eli Cooper,Meg Eden, Christian Frable, and Lora Grasso for help with data collection. Finally, we thank HenkHaarmann, four anonymous reviewers, and other readers for support and comments on earlierversions of this manuscript and Bob Slevc for advice on musical aptitude and for sharing WingMusical Aptitude Test stimuli.

Research Keywords

aptitude
Mandarin Chinese
musical experience
pitch perception
second language
tone learning

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title = "Pitch ability as an aptitude for tone learning",

abstract = "Tone languages such as Mandarin use voice pitch to signal lexical contrasts, presenting a challenge for second/foreign language (L2) learners whose native languages do not use pitch in this manner. The present study examined components of an aptitude for mastering L2 lexical tone. Native English speakers with no previous tone language experience completed a Mandarin word learning task, as well as tests of pitch ability, musicality, L2 aptitude, and general cognitive ability. Pitch ability measures improved predictions of learning performance beyond musicality, L2 aptitude, and general cognitive ability and also predicted transfer of learning to new talkers. In sum, although certain nontonal measures help predict successful tone learning, the central components of tonal aptitude are pitch-specific perceptual measures. {\textcopyright} 2016 Language Learning Research Club, University of Michigan.",

keywords = "aptitude, Mandarin Chinese, musical experience, pitch perception, second language, tone learning",

author = "Bowles, \{Anita R.\} and Chang, \{Charles B.\} and Karuzis, \{Valerie P.\}",

year = "2016",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1111/lang.12159",

language = "English",

volume = "66",

pages = "774–808",

journal = "Language Learning",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Pitch ability as an aptitude for tone learning

AU - Bowles, Anita R.

AU - Chang, Charles B.

AU - Karuzis, Valerie P.

PY - 2016/12

Y1 - 2016/12

N2 - Tone languages such as Mandarin use voice pitch to signal lexical contrasts, presenting a challenge for second/foreign language (L2) learners whose native languages do not use pitch in this manner. The present study examined components of an aptitude for mastering L2 lexical tone. Native English speakers with no previous tone language experience completed a Mandarin word learning task, as well as tests of pitch ability, musicality, L2 aptitude, and general cognitive ability. Pitch ability measures improved predictions of learning performance beyond musicality, L2 aptitude, and general cognitive ability and also predicted transfer of learning to new talkers. In sum, although certain nontonal measures help predict successful tone learning, the central components of tonal aptitude are pitch-specific perceptual measures. © 2016 Language Learning Research Club, University of Michigan.

AB - Tone languages such as Mandarin use voice pitch to signal lexical contrasts, presenting a challenge for second/foreign language (L2) learners whose native languages do not use pitch in this manner. The present study examined components of an aptitude for mastering L2 lexical tone. Native English speakers with no previous tone language experience completed a Mandarin word learning task, as well as tests of pitch ability, musicality, L2 aptitude, and general cognitive ability. Pitch ability measures improved predictions of learning performance beyond musicality, L2 aptitude, and general cognitive ability and also predicted transfer of learning to new talkers. In sum, although certain nontonal measures help predict successful tone learning, the central components of tonal aptitude are pitch-specific perceptual measures. © 2016 Language Learning Research Club, University of Michigan.

KW - aptitude

KW - Mandarin Chinese

KW - musical experience

KW - pitch perception

KW - second language

KW - tone learning

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UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/pubmetrics.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84953792342&origin=recordpage

U2 - 10.1111/lang.12159

DO - 10.1111/lang.12159

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 0023-8333

VL - 66

SP - 774

EP - 808

JO - Language Learning

JF - Language Learning

IS - 4

ER -

Pitch ability as an aptitude for tone learning

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Research Keywords

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