Acoustic Phonetic Analysis of Thai Language Tones by Chinese Learners: A Case Study at Nanjing Tech University Pujiang Institute

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the acoustic-phonetic attributes of Thai language tones as articulated by 20 Chinese students, who are majoring in Thai at the Nanjing Tech University Pujiang Institute. The data collection employed 25 Thai words, curated to evaluate the articulation of the five distinct Thai tones across a range of initial consonant scenarios, incorporating both dead and live syllables. The fundamental frequency measurements were conducted using Praat software version 6.1.29. Findings reveal that the neutral tones, notably the mid and low tones, were generally produced accurately, corresponding to the phonetic tone values [32] and [21] respectively. Contrarily, the contour tones presented some discrepancies: the falling tone was produced with values [42] and [31], deviating below the norm. The high tone was varied, with values [323], [324], [325], [434], and [435], exhibiting inconsistency in the rise and fall patterns when compared to standard tones, with these variations present in half of the sampled data. The rising tone, however, was rendered with a value of [212], closely mirroring the normative pattern, though the initial point was frequently elevated, as denoted by [312], [313], [423], and [433]. In summary, the study unveils a propensity among Chinese students to deviate from standard Thai tone production, potentially influenced by their native linguistic backgrounds, specifically Sinan dialect and Mandarin.