The perception of English vowels by native Cantonese English as a foreign language primary school students

Abstract

This study investigated the perception of English vowels in Cantonese speakers who are beginning learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) in reference to the Perceptual Assimilation Model (PAM). Thirty-one primary school students participated in a perception study that required them to discriminate and identify English minimal vowel pairs. It was founded that Cantonese EFL learner’s vowel perception can be predicted by the similarity of spatial proximity of constriction locations between English vowels and Cantonese vowels. The study also provides support for the PAM. Further research is needed to include EFL learners from different age groups and at different English proficiency levels.