PECULIARITIES OF TEACHING CHINESE PHONETICS TO ARMENIAN-SPEAKING STUDENTS

Lilit Akopyan

Lilit Akopyan PhD in Philology, Associate Professor, Brusov State University, 0002, 42 Toumanyan, Yerevan, http://orcid.org/0009-0008-5690-3475

Abstract

This article explores the peculiarities of teaching Chinese phonetics to Armenian-speaking students within the framework of contrastive linguistics and second language phonology. Due to fundamental typological differences between the Armenian and Chinese languages, the phonetic aspect of Chinese presents specific challenges for Armenian learners, particularly in the acquisition of tones, initials, and finals. The study is based on contrastive analysis of the phonetic systems of Armenian and Chinese, as well as pedagogical observation of typical pronunciation errors encountered in classroom practice. Special attention is paid to phonetic interference caused using Chinese Pinyin system and to the role of the native phonological system in shaping learners’ articulatory habits. The article argues that systematic phonetic instruction, grounded in contrastive explanation and continuous tone training, significantly improves pronunciation accuracy and prevents fossilization of errors. The findings highlight the importance of developing specialized methodological approaches for teaching Chinese phonetics in the Armenian educational context.

Keywords: Chinese phonetics, Armenian-speaking learners, phonetic interference