台灣閩南語聲調與調域感知之腦電波研究

• Main Author: 游丞儀
• Other Authors: 呂菁菁
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/58652875584677556640

碩士 === 國立新竹教育大學 === 臺灣語言與語文教育研究所 === 94 === The present study is aimed at investigating how the subjects process changed tonal range in Taiwanese. Two event-related potential（ERP）experiments are designed to delineate the unit in which the tonal range could be changed. In experiment 1, we investigated the minimal range within which the subjects can discriminate among the three level tones. The results show that the minimal tonal range in Taiwanese is at least four semitones. The boundary between the mid tone and the high tone is located at one semitone over the mid tone. The lower boundary of the mid tone is located at two semitones below the mid tone. However, in the range of low level pitch, the mid tone and low tone become indistinct. Nonetheless, the falling pattern is an important feature of the low tone in Taiwanese, so that the low level tone used in our experiment is not distinguishable from the mid tone in the range beyond the lower boundary of the mid tone. Gradual differences in perception are shown in the ERP data. When the pitch played to the subjects is beyond the upper and lower boundary of the tone in question, the more deviant the easier in processing, inducing smaller N400; when the pitch played to the subjects is within the upper and lower boundaries of the tone in question, the more deviant the more difficult in processing, inducing larger N400. The largest N400 amplitude is induced in the frontal-parietal area. In experiment 2, we tried to find out what kind of unit, with changed tonal range, is acceptable to the subjects. Four types are manipulated. Each type contains two conditions: sentences with and without changed tonal range. ERP data were recorded from the starting point of changed tonal range. Compared to the sentences without changed tonal range, the ones with changed tonal range in type 1, 2, and 4 induce N400. It seems to suggest that the 3 type, i.e. the changing of the tonal range in the whole tone sandhi group induces less difficulties in processing. The largest N400 amplitude is induced in the frontal-parietal area. Key Words: tone, tonal range, ERP, N400