The Structure of the Mandarin Syllable: Why, When and How to Teach it

0363621 - OÚ 2012 RIV CZ eng J - Journal Article
Třísková, Hana
The Structure of the Mandarin Syllable: Why, When and How to Teach it.
Archiv orientální: Quarterly Journal of African and Asian Studies. Roč. 79, č. 1 (2011), s. 99-134. ISSN 0044-8699
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z90210515
Keywords : Mandarin Chinese * syllable * phonetics * teaching methods
Subject RIV: AI - Linguistics

The students of Mandarin mostly have to rely on imitating of their teachers while learning the basic syllabary. Timely explanation of Mandarin syllable structure and its functional components in the early stage of teaching pronunciation could make teaching Mandarin syllabary more efficient. Two basic models of Chinese syllable are introduced: the traditional Initial-Final model, adopted as a basis of the widely accepted pinyin spelling system, and the modern Onset-Rime model. The four traditional components at the level of segments – an initial, a medial, a main vowel and a terminal (C, G, V, X) are introduced. The review of their articulatory properties follows. The suggested approach, drawing on the traditions of the old Chinese phonology, is viewed as more benefitial for the pedagogical purposes than the “Western” phonological approach working with the concept of vowels and consonants.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0199370