Native language phonological and phonetic influences on second language perception of Vietnamese tones

This study examines first language (L1) phonological and phonetic influences on the perception of Vietnamese tones by Mandarin speakers learning Vietnamese as a second language (L2) in light of the Perceptual Assimilation Model. Participants were divided into two groups according to their length of classroom instruction, i.e. beginning (two months) and experienced (two years) learners. They first discriminated 15 Vietnamese tone contrasts and then mapped six Vietnamese tones onto their L1 Mandarin tone categories. The manner in which a Vietnamese tone contrast was mapped onto L1 categories (i.e. Categorized or Uncategorized) and the perceived overlap of L1 response categories of the contrast generally predicted its discrimination accuracy. Beginning and experienced learners exhibited differences in their perceptual assimilation of two Vietnamese tones but there was no significant difference in their accuracy of discriminating tone contrasts. The present study generally supports the Perceptual Assimilation Model and implications for L2 tone perception are discussed.