Perception of Intonation and Perception Strategies by Iranian Learners of Japanese

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the intonation perception and its strategies by Japanese learners. We conducted a perceptual experiment followed by an interview targeting Iranian learners of Japanese. The result is as follows: First, "XnoYwo" structure is a known pattern for Iranians. Therefore, it is easier to perceive compared with "XdeYwo" structure. Second, irrespective of the type of structure, the intonation pattern consisting of a combination of "unaccented word" and "accented word" is difficult to perceive. As a result of the interview, the upper-grade group mainly perceives intonation with "height" and "stress" as clues. On the other hand, it was revealed that the lower-grade group perceives intonation based on "rhythm" and "sense".