Training American listeners to perceive Mandarin tones

Auditory training has been shown to be effective in the identification of n on-native segmental distinctions. In this study, it was investigated whethe r such training is applicable to the acquisition of non-native suprasegment al contrasts, i.e., Mandarin tones. Using the high-variability paradigm, ei ght American learners of Mandarin were trained in eight sessions during the course of two weeks to identify the four tones in natural words produced b y native Mandarin talkers. The trainees' identification accuracy revealed a n average 21% increase from the pretest to the post-test, and the improveme nt gained in training was generalized to new stimuli (18% increase) and to new talkers and stimuli (25% increase). Moreover, the six-month retention r est showed that the improvement was retained long after training by an aver age 21% increase from the pretest. The results are discussed in terms of no n-native suprasegmental perceptual modification, and the analogies between L2 acquisition processes at the segmental and suprasegmental levels. (C) 19 99 Acoustical Society of America. [S0001-4966(99)04811-0].