English and Chinese belong to different linguistic systems, so English and Chinese syllables, as the basic linguistic structure, own great differences in syllable structure, syllabification, syllable function as well ...English and Chinese belong to different linguistic systems, so English and Chinese syllables, as the basic linguistic structure, own great differences in syllable structure, syllabification, syllable function as well as liaison. Chinese English learners are apt to have the negative transfer in English pronunciation acquisition under the influence of their mother tongue-Chinese. Therefore, only the repeated imitation and practice on the ground of theoretical contrasts and analyses can help learners speak perfect English.展开更多
When scientific research began in early twentieth-century China,a key issue was the acquisition of reliable empirical information through objective and precise observations.This article examines a specific case where ...When scientific research began in early twentieth-century China,a key issue was the acquisition of reliable empirical information through objective and precise observations.This article examines a specific case where a scientist grappled with such an issue:the linguist Chao Yuen Ren’s application of mechanical means in his phonetic studies.In the 1920s–1930s,Chao conducted a series of field and lab studies on the dialects in southern and central China.In contrast to traditional scholars’exclusive reliance on sharp ears and rhyme books,Chao employed mechanical devices to inscribe and analyze the spectrographs of dialectical tones and used phonographs to record the articulations of his subjects.It is demonstrated that Chao’s machines not only provided a new method of observation;they also altered the theoretical understanding of certain fundamental categories in Chinese phonology,such as tones.Moreover,Chao did not aim to replace human perception with automatic mechanisms in empirical investigations.Rather,the use of machines in his research called for an active and engaged scientific persona.展开更多
文摘English and Chinese belong to different linguistic systems, so English and Chinese syllables, as the basic linguistic structure, own great differences in syllable structure, syllabification, syllable function as well as liaison. Chinese English learners are apt to have the negative transfer in English pronunciation acquisition under the influence of their mother tongue-Chinese. Therefore, only the repeated imitation and practice on the ground of theoretical contrasts and analyses can help learners speak perfect English.
文摘When scientific research began in early twentieth-century China,a key issue was the acquisition of reliable empirical information through objective and precise observations.This article examines a specific case where a scientist grappled with such an issue:the linguist Chao Yuen Ren’s application of mechanical means in his phonetic studies.In the 1920s–1930s,Chao conducted a series of field and lab studies on the dialects in southern and central China.In contrast to traditional scholars’exclusive reliance on sharp ears and rhyme books,Chao employed mechanical devices to inscribe and analyze the spectrographs of dialectical tones and used phonographs to record the articulations of his subjects.It is demonstrated that Chao’s machines not only provided a new method of observation;they also altered the theoretical understanding of certain fundamental categories in Chinese phonology,such as tones.Moreover,Chao did not aim to replace human perception with automatic mechanisms in empirical investigations.Rather,the use of machines in his research called for an active and engaged scientific persona.
