简介：UnlikeIndo-Europeanlanguages,Mandarinreliesheavilyonlexicaltonestodistinguishwordidentity.Usingtheintermodalpreferentiallookingparadigm,thisstudyexamined3-year-oldMandarinspeakers'abilitytouseMandarinlexicaltonesinlearningnewwords.ResultsshowedthatwhenchildrenwerepresentedwithTone2(rising)andTone4(falling)pairs,childrensuccessfullylearnedbothwords.However,whenchildrenwerepresentedwithTone2andTone3(dipping)pairs,theylearnedtheTone2wordbutnottheTone3one.ChildrenwerethendividedintotwogroupsbasedontheirlearningperformanceontheTone3word.SuccessfullearningofTone3wordswasobservedinthehighperformersbutnotinthelowperformers,whoconsistentlymisusedTone3asTone2.ThisstudyshowedthatMandarinspeaking3-year-oldscoulduselexicaltonestolearnwordsunderexperimentalconditions,andthatthedifficultyofTone3acquisitionmayberelatedtoitslowerlevelofperceptualdistinctivenesscomparedwithothertones.