本研究旨在探討台灣日語學習者在初期階段音高類型之習得，並比較其與日語母語人士之差異。研究目標在於觀察台灣日語學習者在字面與句面層次中的日語音高類型之特點，且進一步歸納出常見之錯誤音高類型。由研究成果可得知，台灣日語學習者較難掌握完全由輕音節組成之詞彙，也常會在字內有音高陡降的情形。更重要的是，學習者似乎無法察覺有重音之上揚音高後接低音以及無重音之上揚音高後接高音之差別。藉此可得知，即使學習者知道字面上的正確日語發音，但實際口說方面仍須熟悉句面層次的正確發音。

This study examines pitch patterns in Japanese speech produced by native speakers and Taiwan Mandarin speakers learning Japanese at the beginning level. It aims to provide detailed characteristics of pitch patterns at both word and sentence levels, and to discern common pitch errors in Mandarin speakers’ pronunciations. Mandarin speakers had more difficulty with pronunciation of words consisting of all light syllables than with words containing a heavy syllable, and a steep pitch drop all the way through the words was commonly observed. More importantly, the learners seemed unaware of the difference between accented rising pitch followed by a low pitch and accent - less rising pitch followed by a high pitch. This suggests that even though they know how to correctly pronounce words, they need to know accurate pronunciations at phrase level.