Intonation Patterns of Wh-questions by EFL Learners from Jinan Dialectal Region

Abstract

The study aims at investigating Jinan EFL learners' intonation patterns of Wh-questions from the phonological perspective. When the nuclear accent locates at the beginning of a sentence, both American speakers and Jinan EFL learners adopt the falling intonation pattern. When the nuclear accent is in the middle of or at the end of a sentence, Americans apply a high tone (H*), while Jinan learners adopt a high tone (H*) or a low tone (L*). The final boundary tone of wh-questions produced by Americans and Jinan learners both ended with a L%. Jinan learners tend to put accent on the wh-word, no matter where the nuclear accent is, and use a H* or a L+H*. Patterns they use in other pitch accents are also in a variety.