Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

The Influence of Cantonese on the Phonetic Transfer of English Consonants: Taking the Error of Fricatives as an Example

Ruoyu LiBeiJing Normal University Zhuhai Campus* Zhuomin PengGuangdong University of Foreign Studies

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Language transfer is a crucial factor in second language acquisition (SLA). While the influence of Mandarin Chinese on English phonology has been studied, the specific role of regional dialects, particularly Cantonese, requires further investigation. This study focuses on the phonetic transfer from first language (L1) Cantonese to English fricative consonants (/f/, /v/, /s/, /z/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /θ/, /ð/) among Chinese English L2 learners. Sixty participants will be recruited and divided into three groups based on their language backgrounds: (1) L1 Mandarin L2 English, (2) L1 Mandarin & Cantonese (bilingual) L2 English, and (3) L1 Cantonese L2 Mandarin L3 English. Participants will complete a language background questionnaire and a recorded production task involving minimal pairs and sentence contexts containing target fricatives and fillers. Acoustic analysis using Praat will measure the spectral properties of the produced fricatives. We hypothesize that (1) L1 Cantonese speakers will exhibit greater deviation from native-like English fricative production compared to L1 Mandarin speakers, (2) the bilingual group (Mandarin & Cantonese) will show an intermediate pattern, and (3) Specific fricatives absent or differing in Cantonese phonology will be most susceptible to transfer errors. The findings aim to contribute to understanding the role of specific L1 phonological systems and language status in SLA, with implications for tailored pronunciation instruction for learners with diverse Chinese dialect backgrounds.

Keywords: phonetic transfer; Cantonese; English consonants; fricatives; second language acquisition
Published: December 4, 2025
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2025.HT30272
Volume: CHR Vol.100
pp. 97-105
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