PHONETIC CHALLENGES IN READING TONELESS PINYIN CHINESE NAMES AMONG THAI LEARNERS WITHIN THE AVIATION PROFESSIONAL CONTEXT

Abstract

This academic article aims to analyze the challenges faced by Thai learners of Chinese in the aviation professional context when reading Chinese names written in toneless Pinyin, thereby impacting the accuracy of professional communication. Drawing on phonetic frameworks and Interlanguage Theory, this analysis demonstrates how the absence of tone marks compels learners to undergo a phonological reinterpretation process. The findings reveal that obstacles in phonetic interpretation primarily stem from negative transfer from both Thai and English. Notably, the influence of English significantly affects the pronunciation of both consonants and vowels; since Pinyin utilizes the Roman alphabet, learners tend to interpret sounds based on familiar English phonological systems. In addition, learners employ various coping strategies to compensate for missing tonal information, including guessing pronunciation based on orthographic form, drawing analogies with familiar vocabulary, transferring knowledge from other languages, and selecting sounds that are easier to articulate.

Consequently, this article proposes pedagogical guidelines for Chinese for Professional Purposes. These recommendations emphasize fostering awareness of the distinctions between the Pinyin system and other Romanization systems to enhance phonetic precision and professionalism in the aviation industry.