Alternation of [n] and [l] in Sichuan dialect, Standard Mandarin and English: A single-case study

This study tries to clarify some details of alternation of [n] and [l] in Sichuan dialect, Standard Mandarin, and English as found in the speech of Sichuan-dialect-speaking EFL learners. The data are collected from a Chinese female Sichuan-dialect-speaking EFL learner. She is asked to read out a word-list and a story in Sichuan dialect, Standard Mandarin and English.

The result shows that the substitutions occur in syllable-initial [n] rather than in syllable-initial [l]. However, the same phenomena do not appear in syllable-final [n] or [l]. The data also demonstrate that the alternations are not free variation.