Comparative Study on Language Transfer of English Soundless Plosives Perception among EFL Learners with different L1: Cantonese, Mandarin, and Changsha Dialect

Abstract

This paper investigates the perception of English voiceless plosives (/p/, /t/, /k/) by EFL learners from Cantonese, Mandarin, and Changsha dialect backgrounds, addressing gaps in existing research. We employed a rigorous experimental design involving 60 participants who underwent perception tests using audio materials generated by both native speakers and artificial intelligence. The results revealed significant differences in perception patterns among the three groups, with Cantonese speakers exhibiting the most pronounced transfer effects. Mandarin and Changsha dialect speakers showed relatively similar perception patterns, suggesting the absence of final consonants may lead to uniform transfer effects. This study highlights the importance of considering phonetic transfer in language teaching, offering insights for developing targeted teaching strategies to improve English education quality in China. Our findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of language transfer and have practical implications for second language acquisition, suggesting future research should include broader linguistic contexts and longitudinal studies.