Phonological Production in Young Speakers of Cantonese as a Heritage Language

Ting Yan Rachel Kan

doi:10.1177/0023830920910460

Phonological Production in Young Speakers of Cantonese as a Heritage Language

Ting Yan Rachel Kan

Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies

Research output: Journal article publication › Journal article › Academic research › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study investigates the phonological production of 50 heritage speakers of Cantonese aged 5–11 in the USA. They were compared to 12 majority language speaker peers in Hong Kong via ratings from first language adult speakers. Overall, the heritage speakers were rated as less native-like and less comprehensible than the children in Hong Kong, although they received higher scores from raters speaking the same variety of Cantonese (i.e., Guangzhou Cantonese, vs. Hong Kong Cantonese). None of the tested language background factors, including age of testing, had a predictive effect on the heritage speakers’ scores. The results illustrate the divergence and heterogeneity of heritage phonology compared to homeland varieties.

Original language	English
Article number	32339077
Journal	Language and Speech
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0023830920910460
Publication status	Published - Apr 2020

Keywords

Cantonese
accent ratings
heritage speakers
phonological production

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Language and Linguistics
Sociology and Political Science
Linguistics and Language
Speech and Hearing

More information

10.1177/0023830920910460

Cite this

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abstract = "This study investigates the phonological production of 50 heritage speakers of Cantonese aged 5–11 in the USA. They were compared to 12 majority language speaker peers in Hong Kong via ratings from first language adult speakers. Overall, the heritage speakers were rated as less native-like and less comprehensible than the children in Hong Kong, although they received higher scores from raters speaking the same variety of Cantonese (i.e., Guangzhou Cantonese, vs. Hong Kong Cantonese). None of the tested language background factors, including age of testing, had a predictive effect on the heritage speakers{\textquoteright} scores. The results illustrate the divergence and heterogeneity of heritage phonology compared to homeland varieties.",

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N2 - This study investigates the phonological production of 50 heritage speakers of Cantonese aged 5–11 in the USA. They were compared to 12 majority language speaker peers in Hong Kong via ratings from first language adult speakers. Overall, the heritage speakers were rated as less native-like and less comprehensible than the children in Hong Kong, although they received higher scores from raters speaking the same variety of Cantonese (i.e., Guangzhou Cantonese, vs. Hong Kong Cantonese). None of the tested language background factors, including age of testing, had a predictive effect on the heritage speakers’ scores. The results illustrate the divergence and heterogeneity of heritage phonology compared to homeland varieties.

AB - This study investigates the phonological production of 50 heritage speakers of Cantonese aged 5–11 in the USA. They were compared to 12 majority language speaker peers in Hong Kong via ratings from first language adult speakers. Overall, the heritage speakers were rated as less native-like and less comprehensible than the children in Hong Kong, although they received higher scores from raters speaking the same variety of Cantonese (i.e., Guangzhou Cantonese, vs. Hong Kong Cantonese). None of the tested language background factors, including age of testing, had a predictive effect on the heritage speakers’ scores. The results illustrate the divergence and heterogeneity of heritage phonology compared to homeland varieties.

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KW - heritage speakers

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ER -

Phonological Production in Young Speakers of Cantonese as a Heritage Language

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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