Analysis Of The Pronunciation Patterns Of Mandarin Initials By Nigerian Mandarin As A Foreign Language Learners

The aim of this study was to investigate the pattern of pronunciation of Mandarin initials by the average Nigerian Mandarin as a foreign language learner.This thesis is divided into four distinct but interconnecting chapters.The first chapter presented a brief introduction,which discussed the research background,as well as gave an insight and review of some existing researches that are related to this current study in one way or the other.The significance,purpose and methodology with which the research was conducted was also discussed.The methodology involved comparing sound samples from 40 Nigerian Confucius institute students to sound samples from 10 native Mandarin speakers,by employing a method of spectrographic analysis of sound;using the Adobe Audition CC 2017 version sound analysis and development software,analysis was carried out and the observed pattern(patterns)of pronunciation of the average Nigerian Mandarin as a foreign language learner was as compared to a native Mandarin speaker was documented.In the second chapter,criteria for comparison was defined.These criteria included the resemblance of the respective waveforms produced,the amount of force put into the production of each initial,stress(the time length of production)as well as perceived pronunciation(listening test).A scale of zero to twenty was established,with twenty being an exact pattern as the native speakers,and zero being a completely different pattern of pronunciation.In the third chapter,the results of the analysis were discussed.It could be seen that the initial w(with a score of 17)had the most similar pattern of pronunciation,with the initial c(with a score of 8)showing the least similarity.The initials d,s,sh and x recorded similar scores(16),t,n,l,ch and y also recorded similar scores(15),so were the initials p,m,g,r and q,each with a score of 14,while b,f,k,zh and j scored 13 respectively.The initials h and z,followed closely with scores of 12 and 9 respectively.Other discrepancies were also observed in the pronunciation of the Nigerian speakers.it was evident that the pattern of pronunciation of the average Nigerian Mandarin as a foreign language was at some point inconsistent and conspicuously different from the patterns that were produced by the native Mandarin speakers that participated in the study.In the fourth and final chapter,some of the major causes of the observed discrepancies in pronunciation patterns were highlighted.Conclusions and suggestions were then drawn for each of the initials discussed.Linguistic challenges are common to African language learners.The multilingual nature of African countries and communities,the language and cultural diversity of the people of the continent as well as some footprints left by colonial activities on the continent are some of the contributing factors to the complex language map of Africa.Nigeria,a multiethnic country is a perfect example of the linguistic constitution and complexity that exists in most of the African countries.This diversity can sometimes raise serious problems for Africans during the acquisition of another language.