scholarly journals Dissociation of tone merger and congenital amusia in Hong Kong Cantonese

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0253982
Author(s):  
Caicai Zhang ◽  
Oi-Yee Ho ◽  
Jing Shao ◽  
Jinghua Ou ◽  
Sam-Po Law
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Speech Processing ◽  
Individual Variation ◽  
Musical Training ◽  
Congenital Amusia ◽  
Musical Perception ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Hong Kong Cantonese ◽  
Tone Discrimination

While the issue of individual variation has been widely studied in second language learning or processing, it is less well understood how perceptual and musical aptitude differences can explain individual variation in native speech processing. In the current study, we make use of tone merger in Hong Kong Cantonese, an ongoing sound change that concerns the merging of tones in perception, production or both in a portion of native speakers, to examine the possible relationship between tone merger and musical and pitch abilities. Although a previous study has reported the occurrence of tone merger independently of musical training, it has not been investigated before whether tone-merging individuals, especially those merging tones in perception, would have inferior musical perception and fine-grained pitch sensitivities, given the close relationship of speech and music. To this end, we tested three groups of tone-merging individuals with various tone perception and production profiles on musical perception and pitch threshold tasks, in comparison to a group of Cantonese speakers with congenital amusia, and another group of controls without tone merger or amusia. Additionally, the amusics were compared with tone-merging individuals on the details of their tone discrimination and production profiles. The results showed a clear dissociation of tone merger and amusia, with the tone-merging individuals exhibiting intact musical and pitch abilities; on the other hand, the amusics demonstrated widespread difficulties in tone discrimination yet intact tone production, in contrast to the highly selective confusion of a specific tone pair in production or discrimination in tone-merging individuals. These findings provide the first evidence that tone merger and amusia are distinct from each other, and further suggest that the cause of tone merger may lie elsewhere rather than being driven by musical or pitch deficits. We also discussed issues arising from the current findings regarding the neural mechanisms of tone merger and amusia.

The Effects of Acoustic Variation on the Perception of Lexical Tone in Cantonese-Speaking Congenital Amusics

2019 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 190-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Shao ◽  
Rebecca Yick Man Lau ◽  
Phyllis Oi Ching Tang ◽  
Caicai Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Speech Processing ◽  
Phonological Processing ◽  
Lexical Tone ◽  
Pitch Processing ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Tone Perception ◽  
Congenital Amusia ◽  
Tone Discrimination ◽  
High Level ◽  
Acoustic Variation

Purpose Congenital amusia is an inborn neurogenetic disorder of fine-grained pitch processing. This study attempted to pinpoint the impairment mechanism of speech processing in tonal language speakers with amusia. We designed a series of perception tasks aiming at selectively probing low-level pitch processing and relatively high-level phonological processing of lexical tones, with an aim to illuminate the deficiency mechanism underlying tone perception in amusia. Method Sixteen Cantonese-speaking amusics and 16 matched controls were tested on the effects of acoustic (talker/syllable) variations on the identification and discrimination of Cantonese tones in two conditions. In the low-variation condition, tones were always associated with the same talker or syllable; in the high-variation condition, tones were associated with either different talkers (with the syllable controlled) or different syllables (with the talker controlled). Results Largely similar results were obtained in talker and syllable variation conditions. Amusics exhibited overall poorer performance than controls in tone identification. Although amusics also demonstrated poorer performance in tone discrimination, the group difference was more obvious in low-variation conditions, where more acoustic constancy was provided. Besides, controls exhibited a greater increase in discrimination sensitivity from high- to low-variation conditions, implying a stronger benefit of acoustic constancy. Conclusions The findings suggested that amusics' lexical tone perception abilities, in terms of both low-level pitch processing and high-level phonological processing, as measured in low- and high-variation conditions, are impaired. Importantly, amusics were more impaired in taking advantage of low acoustic variation contexts and thus less efficiently sharpened their perception of tones when perceptual anchors in talker/syllable were provided, suggesting a possible “anchoring deficit” in congenital amusia. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.7616555

Tone Merging Patterns in Congenital Amusia in Hong Kong Cantonese

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oi-Yee Ho ◽  
Jing Shao ◽  
Jinghua Ou ◽  
Sam-Po Law ◽  
Caicai Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Congenital Amusia ◽  
Hong Kong Cantonese

Four decades of ELT development in Hong Kong: Impact of global theories on the changing curricula and textbooks

2019 ◽  
pp. 136216881986556
Author(s):  
Jim Yee Him Chan
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Oxford University ◽  
The Past ◽  
Framework Approach ◽  
Language Needs ◽  
Recent Debate ◽  
Textbook Design

The past 40 years have witnessed significant developments in ELT research, reflecting the changes in learners’ language needs and the extensive development of various language learning/teaching methods in different times and places. The aim of this study is to provide a systematic and comprehensive account of changing ELT methods (oral-structural approach, communicative language teaching and task-based language teaching) in Hong Kong’s secondary education between 1975 and the present. By adopting Richards and Rodgers’s (2014) framework (approach, design and procedure), it examined how ELT theories have been transformed into local curricula (1975, 1983, 1999 and 2002/07) and commercial textbooks (Longman, Oxford University Press) via detailed content analysis. The findings suggest that research into ELT methods in Hong Kong over the past decades has generally directed the designs of the language curricula. Changes in the textbooks, however, have been relatively limited, although considerable attempts have been made to align textbook design with ELT trends. By considering various constraints in the theory-to-practice process, this study offers suggestions for future research and language teaching, particularly regarding the recent debate over the choice between the ‘weak’ and ‘strong’ versions of task-based language teaching in EFL contexts, and the post-methods perspective in language teaching.

Chinese (Hong Kong Cantonese)

1991 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Zee
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
University Student ◽  
Hong Kong Cantonese ◽  
Younger Generation

The style of speech illustrated is that typical of the educated younger generation in Hong Kong. The recording is that of a 22-year-old female university student who has lived all her life in Hong Kong.

scholarly journals Teacher education

2003 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 277-278
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Teacher Education ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
University Of Oxford ◽  
Ann Arbor ◽  
Language And Education

04–644 Donaghue, H. (Shajah Women's College, UAE). An instrument to elicit teachers’ beliefs and assumptions. ELT Journal (Oxford, UK), 57, 4 (2003), 344–351.04–645 Heller-Murphy, Anne and Northcott, Joy (U. of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK). “Who does she think she is?” constraints on autonomy in language teacher education. Edinburgh Working Papers in Applied Linguistics (Edinburgh, Scotland, UK), 12 (2003), 10–18.04–646 LeLoup, J. W. (State U. of New-York-Cortland) and Schmidt-Rinchart, B. A Venezuelan experience: professional development for teachers, meaningful activities for students. Hispania (Ann Arbor, USA), 86, 3 (2003), 586–591.04–647 Macaro, E. (University of Oxford; Email: [email protected]) Second language teachers as second language classroom researchers. Language Learning Journal (Rugby, UK), 27 (2003), 43–51.04–648 Murphy, J. (New College, Nottingham). Task-based learning: the interaction between tasks and learners. ELT Journal (Oxford, UK), 57, 4 (2003), 352–360.04–649 Urmston, Alan (Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, Hong Kong; Email: [email protected]). Learning to teach English in Hong Kong: the opinions of teachers in training. Language and Education (Clevedon, UK), 17, 2 (2003), 112–137.04–650 Wharton, Sue (University of Aston, UK; Email: [email protected]). Defining appropriate criteria for the assessment of master's level TESOL assignments. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education (London, UK), 28, 6 (2003), 649–663.04–651 Wildsmith-Cromarty, Rosemary (University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa; Email: [email protected]). Mutual apprenticeship in the learning and teaching of an additional language. Language and Education (Clevedon, UK), 17, 2 (2003), 138–154.

Neuroplasticity in Music Learning

2018 ◽  
pp. 545-563
Author(s):  
Vesa Putkinen ◽  
Mari Tervaniemi
Keyword(s):  
Speech Processing ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Brain Function ◽  
Musical Training ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Training Transfer ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Music Learning ◽  
Functional Brain ◽  
Related Potentials

Studies conducted during the last three decades have identified numerous differences between musicians and non-musicians in neural correlates of sensory, motor, and higher-order cognitive functions. Research employing event-related potentials/fields has been particularly important in this framework. This chapter reviews the evidence that has emerged from these studies with emphasis on longitudinal studies comparing functional brain development in children taking music lessons and those engaged in non-musical activities. The literature provides empirical and theoretical grounds for concluding that musical training enhances sound encoding skills that are relevant for both music and speech processing. The question whether the benefits of musical training transfer to more distantly related cognitive functions remains controversial, however. Finally, it appears likely that training-induced plasticity alone does not account for the differences in brain function between musicians and non-musicians and, conversely, that predisposing factors also play a role.

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