An Analysis of Pitch Patterns of English Adjective + Noun Phrases in Model Reading and Some Educational Implications

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  • 英語名詞句内の形容詞と名詞のピッチパタン分布および教育的示唆

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Description

A basic English accent rule for a noun phrase consisting of an adjective and a noun is that the head, or noun, is accented unless the adjective is contrastively focused in the context. A question of interest for Japanese learners of English is to what extent this basic principle is observed in model reading to which the learners may be exposed in their English classrooms. This study measured F_0 values of adjectives and nouns in noun phrases which appeared in model English reading on commercially available CDs used at the Japanese college level. Results revealed that, contrary to the basic accent rule, adjectives were accented about 50% to 70% of the time in clear/slow speech and clear/normal speech. The results also suggested the effects of information structure in text. Some of the educational implications arising from these results are briefly discussed.

Journal

  • CASELE Research Bulletin

    CASELE Research Bulletin 39 (0), 81-88, 2009

    The Chugoku Academic Society of English Language Education

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