CAJ | 학술논문

本研究探讨个体二语语音辨别能力的差异来源。以母语为粤语（L1）的粤语-普通话双语者为研究对象，根据被试的普通话二语（L2）的辨音能力，将其分为二语辨音强组（GP）和二语辨音弱组（PP），以失匹配负波（MMN）为电生理指标通过 ERP 实验分别考察了两组被试对语音和一般声音（复合音）的辨别差异。结果发现：无论是对母语语音辨别还是对跨语系第三种语言的语音辨别，二语辨音强组的被试诱发的MMN波幅都显著大于二语辨音弱组的被试；进一步，对一般复合音的辨别，二语辨音强组的被试诱发的MMN波幅也显著大于二语辨音弱组的被试。研究结果表明：二语语音辨别的个体差异不仅可以追溯到一般语音层面的辨音能力差异，还可以进一步追溯到一般声音层面的复合音辨音能力差异。
본연구탐토개체이어어음변별능력적차이래원。이모어위월어（L1）적월어-보통화쌍어자위연구대상，근거피시적보통화이어（L2）적변음능력，장기분위이어변음강조（GP）화이어변음약조（PP），이실필배부파（MMN）위전생리지표통과 ERP 실험분별고찰료량조피시대어음화일반성음（복합음）적변별차이。결과발현：무론시대모어어음변별환시대과어계제삼충어언적어음변별，이어변음강조적피시유발적MMN파폭도현저대우이어변음약조적피시；진일보，대일반복합음적변별，이어변음강조적피시유발적MMN파폭야현저대우이어변음약조적피시。연구결과표명：이어어음변별적개체차이불부가이추소도일반어음층면적변음능력차이，환가이진일보추소도일반성음층면적복합음변음능력차이。
As to the origin of individual differences in perceiving the sounds of a second language, the scientific community has been divided. There are two alternative explanations： a general psychoacoustic origin vs. a general speech one. A previous study （Diaz et al., 2008） has shown that such individual variability is linked to the perceivers’ general speech abilities. However, our research casts doubt on the conclusion for two reasons. Firstly, this study exclusively focused on speech sounds in the same language family, rather than explored the languages from different language families. It has only been proved that individual variability in L2 is related to varied sensitivities to the speech sounds within the same language family rather than in the general speech system including different language families. Moreover, the study selected pure tones as acoustic materials, neglecting another important acoustic signals, complex sounds. It is obvious that we can＇t draw the conclusion that ability of processing general sounds has no impact on discrimination of speech sounds in L2, without studying complex tones. Here, studying speech sounds from different language families and complex sounds, the main purpose of present study was to explore whether the individual differences in perceiving L2 stem from their ability of processing general phonetic signals or phonetic stimuli within the specific language family, and farther explore whether such individual variability deeply stems from individual sensitivity to complex tones. In the present study, 14 L2 good perceivers （GP） and 14 L2 poor perceivers （PP）, in order to participate in the following ERP experiment, were selected from 130 healthy Cantonese （L1）-mandarin （L2） bilinguals according to their performances in a behavior task. To precisely measure the participants’ sound discrimination, MMN elicited by oddball paradigm was recorded in the following experiment. The ERP experiment consists of three sections, including native speech sounds, speech sounds in different language families and complex tones. And every participant took part in all three material sections. The results showed that significant differences between GP and PP were found when the two groups were presented with all 3 stimuli： GP showed larger MMN responses to both phonetic and acoustic stimuli than PP. This result reveals individual differences in discriminating the sounds in L2 not only stem from their sensitivity to phonetic sounds but also ultimately from their sensitivity to acoustic signals.