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[2602.23071] Quantity Convergence, Quality Divergence: Disentangling Fluency and Accuracy in L2 Mandarin Prosody
Summary
This study examines the relationship between fluency and accuracy in L2 Mandarin prosody, revealing that while learners may achieve quantity convergence, they often diverge in structural accuracy.
Why It Matters
Understanding the prosody-syntax interface in L2 Mandarin is crucial for improving language instruction and learner outcomes. This research highlights the challenges faced by learners, which can inform teaching strategies and curriculum development.
Key Takeaways
- L2 learners show quantity convergence in prosodic boundaries at the Major Phrase level.
- Structural mapping of prosodic boundaries often diverges from native patterns.
- High-proficiency learners may sacrifice accuracy for fluency in speech production.
- The study utilizes a robust corpus and advanced annotation techniques for analysis.
- Insights can guide language teaching methodologies and learner support.
Computer Science > Computation and Language arXiv:2602.23071 (cs) [Submitted on 26 Feb 2026] Title:Quantity Convergence, Quality Divergence: Disentangling Fluency and Accuracy in L2 Mandarin Prosody Authors:Yuqi Shi, Hao Yang, Xiyao Lu, Jinsong Zhang View a PDF of the paper titled Quantity Convergence, Quality Divergence: Disentangling Fluency and Accuracy in L2 Mandarin Prosody, by Yuqi Shi and 3 other authors View PDF Abstract:While second language (L2) learners may acquire target syntactic word order, mapping this syntax onto appropriate prosodic structures remains a persistent challenge. This study investigates the fossilization and stability of the L2 syntax-prosody interface by comparing 67 native Mandarin speakers with 67 Vietnamese learners using the BLCU-SAIT corpus. By integrating C-ToBI boundary annotation with Dependency Grammar analysis, we examined both the quantity of prosodic boundaries and their mapping to syntactic relations. Results reveal a non-linear acquisition: although high-proficiency learners (VNH) converge to the native baseline in boundary quantity at the Major Phrase level (B3), their structural mapping significantly diverges. Specifically, VNH demote the prosodic boundary at the Subject-Verb (SBV) interface (Major Phrase B3 -> Prosodic Word B1), while erroneously promoting the boundary at the Verb-Object (VOB) interface (Prosodic Word B1 -> Major Phrase B3). This strategy allows learners to maintain high long phrasal output at the expense of s...