The Role of Phonology and Phonetics in L2 Kanji Learning

Abstract

This study explores whether emphasizing the phonetic components of kanji, Chinese characters used in Japanese, facilitates second language (L2) learners' novel character learning. Previous L2 studies on Chinese characters indicate that phonology plays a major part in word identification. However, this view remains controversial, because the role of phonetic radicals has not been closely examined. In this study, 70 learners of Japanese, whose first language (L1) is alphabetic, were divided into 3 learning condition groups: pronunciation-hearing and read aloud, pronunciation-hearing, and no pronunciationhearing. All learners were repeatedly exposed to unfamiliar kanji, some of which included visually emphasized phonetic radicals to help the learners identify characters. Learning was measured by the ability to select the target kanji from visually similar alternatives and to write their meanings in English. The results revealed no significant difference in learning kanji, either in terms of meaning production or selection of the correct orthographic representation across groups. The pronunciation-hearing group successfully related phonetic radicals with the sounds represented by the radical, but this skill did not contribute to better learning of novel kanji. The results support the direct route view, suggesting that logography is learned by extracting meaning directly from orthography regardless of phonological mediation.

The trends and developments of L2 Japanese research in the 2010s

“…In addition, L2 word recognition and processing operate a qualitatively different mechanism from that of L1 word identification, requiring increased cognitive resources for orthographic, semantic, and phonological retrieval (e.g., Fukuta, 2013; Koyama, Stein, Stoodley, & Hansen, 2013; Nakayama, Ida, & Lupker, 2016). Consequently, post-2010 studies continued to investigate a range of issues in learning kanji from various perspectives including crosslinguistic influence (Matsumoto, 2013; Hagiwara, 2016), the role of L2 proficiency (Toyoda & McNamara, 2011; Matsumoto, 2013), linguistic factors affecting L2 kanji recognition and production (Fei & Matsumi, 2013; Toyoda, Firdaus, & Kano, 2013; Taniguchi, 2017), learning strategies and attitudes (Soemer & Schwan, 2012; Rose, 2013; Thomas, 2013, 2014, 2015; Tsukada, 2012; Kubota, 2017), and instructional interventions (Ulambayar, 2013).…”

“…Hagiwara (2016), however, challenged the effect of L1-based orthographic processing strategies on L2 kanji learning by reporting that L2 Japanese learners from an L1 alphabetic background, who were expected to use sound-based strategies, demonstrated the ability to learn novel kanji successfully regardless of the presence of phonological mediation. In her study, 70 college students studying in Japan whose L1 was alphabetic were divided into three learning conditions (i.e., pronunciation-hearing and read aloud, pronunciation-hearing only, and no pronunciation-hearing) and learned two types of novel kanji (i.e., characters that contained visually emphasized phonetic components and ones without emphasis).…”

Perceptual differences about kanji instruction: Native versus nonnative, and secondary versus postsecondary instructors of Japanese

“…One area that needs to be investigated in kanji studies pertains to the complexity of the phonetic structures of kanji . Recent years have seen an increasing instructional attention to raising students' awareness of the sound structures of kanji characters and words (Hagiwara, 2016; Mori, 2014; Toyoda, Firdaus, & Kano, 2013), as over 60% of joyo‐kanji (everyday use characters) comprises semantic‐phonetic composite characters consisting of semantic and phonetic elements (Miyashita 2004). Research has shown that sound plays an important role in kanji recognition and working memory during reading, and that phonological retrieval of L2 kanji is a cognitively demanding skill that is acquired over time and through practice (Buchweitz, Mason, Hasegawa, & Just, 2009; Liu, Perfetti, & Wang, 2006; Liu, Wang, & Perfetti, 2007; Perfetti et al, 2007; Wang, Perfetti, & Liu, 2003).…”