The lexical proficiency in Cantonese of cross-boundary preschoolers in Hong Kong = 香港跨境生幼兒的粵語口語詞彙能力研究

Abstract

Cross-boundary preschoolers study at kindergartens in Hong Kong, where Cantonese is the major language used in the learning environment. Their speaking proficiency in Cantonese (second language) is the focus of research. This study explores the lexical proficiency in Cantonese of cross-boundary preschoolers in Hong Kong for K1 to K3 in three aspects: 1) discuss the characteristics of the lexical proficiency in Cantonese of cross-boundary preschoolers; 2) compare performance differences between local and cross-boundary preschoolers in part of speech of Cantonese; 3) identify the factors affecting use of the lexical proficiency in Cantonese of cross-boundary preschoolers. This study adopted cross sectional multiple case studies. At the beginning and the end of school term, spoken Cantonese data was collected from 44 local and 44 cross-boundary preschoolers twice in total, through interviews with the preschoolers. The chosen preschoolers came from the K1, K2 and K3 of two kindergartens in Hong Kong. The mother tongue of the cross-boundary preschoolers is Mandarin, while that of local is Cantonese. To investigate the lexical proficiency in Cantonese of cross-boundary preschoolers, this study compared performance in 12 types of part of speech of Cantonese (Noun, Verb, Pronoun, Particle, Adverb, Classifier, Adjective, Interjection, Numeral, Preposition, Conjunction, Onomatopoeia) at the beginning and the end of school term. The findings showed that 7 types of part of speech in K1, 9 types in K2, and 9 types in K3, the average amount in vocabulary at the end of school term, was more than that at the beginning of school term, with significant differences. To further investigate the lexical proficiency in Cantonese of cross-boundary preschoolers, this study compared performance in 13 types of part of speech of Cantonese. At the beginning of school term, the average amount in vocabulary of local preschoolers was more than cross-boundary preschoolers, in which 3 types of part of speech in K1, 8 types in K2, and 2 types in K3, with significant differences. At the end of school term, the average amount in vocabulary of local preschoolers was more than cross-boundary preschoolers, in which 6 types of part of speech in K1, 9 types in K2, and 2 types in K3, with significant differences. This study further analyzed the development of part of speech of Cantonese of cross-boundary preschoolers at each level at the beginning and the end of school term. The findings showed that most of the K1 preschoolers could not use Cantonese vocabularies at the beginning of school term, they could use more nouns and verbs at the end of school term, and were able to use a few pronouns, adverbs, particles and classifiers. K2 preschoolers could use more pronouns, adverbs, and particles at the end of school term. K3 preschoolers could use more verbs, nouns, pronouns, adverbs, adjectives at the beginning of school term. When comparing with local preschoolers, it was found that cross-boundary preschoolers were relatively use less Cantonese vocabularies, such as action verb (揸), classifier (啲), pronouns (噉樣), particle(啲), etc. This study analyzed the factors affecting cross-boundary preschoolers using Cantonese vocabularies. It was found that “responding to teachers’ questions”, and “conversations with teachers and classmates”, were the major factors facilitating cross-boundary preschoolers learn and use Cantonese vocabularies. This study concluded the characteristics of lexical proficiency in Cantonese of cross-boundary preschoolers. It found that differences between cross-boundary preschoolers and local preschoolers in lexical proficiency in Cantonese. Finally, this study discovered that cross-boundary preschoolers were mainly facilitated in school setting to learn and use Cantonese vocabularies. 在香港主要使用粵語的學習環境中，跨境生就讀香港幼兒學校， 他們的粵語口語能力(第二語言)成為研究關注的焦點。本研究探索三級 跨境生的粵語口語詞彙能力，主要1) 探討跨境生的粵語口語詞彙能力特 徵 ，2）比較跨境生和本地生的粵語詞類表現差異，3) 影響跨境生使用 粵語口語詞彙的因素。 本研究採用了多種個案研究，並採用橫斷性研究的設計，在學期 初及末共收集兩次44 名跨境生及44 名本地生的粵語口語資料，透過幼 兒訪談方式，收集幼兒的粵語口語資料。選取的跨境生和本地生是來自 兩所香港幼稚園的幼兒班(K1)、低班(K2)及高班(K3)，當中跨境生的第一 語言是普通話，本地生的第一語言是粤語。 為探索跨境生的粵語口語詞彙能力，本研究比較跨境生在學年初、 學年末的12 項粵語詞類表現(名詞、動詞、代詞、助詞、副詞、量詞、 形容詞、嘆詞、數詞、介詞、連詞、象聲詞)，結果發現幼兒班有7 項詞 類，低班有9 項詞類，高班有9 項詞類，在學期末的平均詞彙量較學年 初多，並有顯著差異。 為進一步了解跨境生的粵語口語詞彙能力，本研究比較本地生和 跨境生的12 項粵語詞類表現，在學年初，幼兒班本地生分別有3 項詞類， 低班本地生有8 項詞類，高班本地生有2 項詞類，其平均詞彙量較跨境 生多，並存有顯著差異；在學期末，幼兒班本地生有6 項詞類，低班本地生有9 項詞類，高班本地生有2 項詞類，其平均詞彙量較跨境生多， 並存有顯著差異，幼兒班及低班本地生 本研究進一步分析各級跨境生在學年初及末的粵語詞類的發展情 況，結果發現大部分幼兒班在學年初未能使用粵語詞彙，在學年末已能 運用較多名詞及動詞，並能運用少量代詞、副詞、助詞、量詞；低班在 學期末才能較多運用代詞、副詞、助詞；高班在學期初已能較多運用動 詞、名詞、代詞、副詞、助詞、形容詞、量詞。相對本地生表現，本研 究也發現較少跨境生能運用一些粵語詞彙， 例如︰ 動詞行為動詞 「揸」」、體貌助詞「咗」、「過」、代詞（噉樣）、量詞「啲」。 本研究分析影響跨境生使用粤語詞彙的因素，發現回應教師的課 堂問題、與師生及同伴的談話，主要是促使跨境生學習及使用粵語詞彙 的因素。 由於現時甚少研究探索以普通話為母語的幼兒學習粵語的情況， 本研究分析各級跨境生的粵語詞彙能力，能充實幼兒語言教育研究。首 先，本研究總結跨境生幼兒粵語詞彙能力的特徵。其次，本研究發現跨 境生和本地生的粵語口語詞彙能力存有差異，最後，本研究發現跨境生 主要是透過學校的語境，促使他們學習及使用粵語詞彙。