The Relationship Between English Self-concept And English Pronunciation Of Chinese Freshmen Majoring In English

With the recognition of the significance of affect in second language learning, there is a mounting increase in the research on various affective factors. Self-concept, one of the elements in the affective domain, is receiving more and more attention in language learning field. It is agreed that self-concept is multidimensional and hierarchical in structure, and there are more specific components of self-concept under each specific subject self-concept. For example, the global English self-concept is multifaceted in nature and may consist of more specific components such as English pronunciation self-concept, English listening self-concept, English speaking self-concept, English reading self-concept, English writing self-concept, etc. Self-concept is not only multifaceted and hierarchical, but also, it is reciprocal in nature.In language learning, affect may be considered the most sensitive and closely related to pronunciation. First, pronunciation is often linked with one's self-identity and the corresponding culture. Second, pronunciation is related to a series of emotions, or affective states. Third, pronunciation is found to have a powerful impact on the formation of one's self-concept. Pronunciation partly reflects one's English level and is subject to the evaluation and judgment of others. In the formation and development of one's self-concept, both pronunciation and significant others play a crucial role in learners' affective growth.The relationships between English self-concept and pronunciation, pronunciation and others' perception and affect have been discussed in some related fields like psychology and second language acquisition researches. But, in these aspects there have not been many empirical tests concerning the self-concept of Chinese freshmen majoring in English and their English pronunciation in China. Motivated by the necessity and significance of self-concept, this thesis attempts to examine this unexplored field and studies the relationship between English self-concept and...