Perceptual assimilation of British English vowels to Spanish monophthongs and diphthongs

Perception of Dutch vowels by Cypriot Greek listeners: To what extent can listeners' patterns be predicted by acoustic and perceptual similarity?

There have been numerous studies investigating the perception of non-native sounds by listeners with different first language (L1) backgrounds. However, research needs to expand to under-researched languages and incorporate predictions conducted under the assumptions of new speech models. This study aimed to investigate the perception of Dutch vowels by Cypriot Greek adult listeners and test the predictions of cross-linguistic acoustic and perceptual similarity. The predictions of acoustic similarity were formed using a machine-learning algorithm. Listeners completed a classification test, which served as the baseline for developing the predictions of perceptual similarity by employing the framework of the Universal Perceptual Model (UPM), and an AXB discrimination test; the latter allowed the evaluation of both acoustic and perceptual predictions. The findings indicated that listeners classified each non-native vowel as one or more L1 vowels, while the discrimination accuracy over the non-native contrasts was moderate. In addition, cross-linguistic acoustic similarity predicted to a large extent the classification of non-native sounds in terms of L1 categories and both the acoustic and perceptual similarity predicted the discrimination accuracy of all contrasts. Being in line with prior findings, these findings demonstrate that acoustic and perceptual cues are reliable predictors of non-native contrast discrimination and that the UPM model can make accurate estimations for the discrimination patterns of non-native listeners.

Development of perceptual similarity and discriminability: the perception of Russian phonemes by Chinese learners

This study explored the perceptual assimilation and discrimination of Russian phonemes by three groups of Chinese listeners with differing Russian learning experience. A perceptual assimilation task (PAT) and a perceptual discrimination test (PDT) were conducted to investigate if/how L1-L2 perceptual similarity would vary as a function of increased learning experience, and the development of assimilation-discrimination relations. The PAT was analyzed via assimilation rates, dispersion K' values, goodness ratings and assimilation patterns. Results revealed an intriguing phenomenon that the perceived Mandarin-Russian similarity first increased from naïve listeners to intermediate learners and then decreased slightly in relatively advanced learners. This suggests that L1-L2 perceptual similarity is subject to learning experience and could follow a potential "rise and fall" developmental pattern. The PDT results were mostly in line with the assimilation-discrimination correspondence with more experience bringing out better discriminability in general. Yet the overall sensitivity d' values from the Chinese groups were relatively low, implying acoustic/articulatory effects on L2 discriminability aside from perceptual assimilation. The results were discussed under the frameworks of L2 Perceptual Assimilation Model, Speech Learning Model and L2 Linguistic Perception Model.

Perception of English and Catalan vowels by English and Catalan listeners. Part II. Perceptual vs ecphoric similarity

Although crosslinguistic similarity is a crucial concept for many disciplines in the speech sciences, there is no clear consensus as to the most appropriate method to measure it. This paper assessed the perceived similarity between English and Catalan vowels by means of an overt direct task evaluating perceptual similarity. The extent to which perceptual similarity is reciprocal is also explored by comparing perceptual judgements obtained by speakers of the two languages involved. Twenty-seven native Catalan speakers and 27 native English speakers rated the perceived dissimilarity between two aurally presented vowel stimuli. Trials included native-non-native pairs as well as native-native pairs to serve as baseline data. Some native-non-native pairs were perceived to be as similar as same-category native pairs, illustrating cases of very high crosslinguistic perceptual similarity. Further, in terms of reciprocity, the results showed a bidirectionality in similarity relationships that point to some cases of near-identical or shared categories and also illustrate the role of language-specific cue weighting in determining perceptual similarity. Finally, a comparison with the outcome of a previous study [Cebrian (2021). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 149(4), 2671-2685], involving the same participants and languages but exploring ecphoric similarity, shows a generally high degree of agreement and a close relationship between the two types of similarity.

Online Assessment of Speech Perception and Auditory Spectrotemporal Processing in Spanish-English Bilinguals

PURPOSE

There is limited access to audiology services for the growing population of Spanish-English bilinguals in the United States. Online auditory testing can potentially provide a cost-effective alternative to in-person visits. However, even for bilinguals with high English proficiency, age of English acquisition may affect speech perception accuracy. This study used a comprehensive test battery to assess speech perception and spectrotemporal processing abilities in Spanish-English bilinguals and to evaluate susceptibility of different tests to effects of native language.

METHOD

The online battery comprised three tests of speech in quiet (vowel and consonant identification and words in sentences), four tests of speech perception in noise (two for intelligibility and two for comprehension), and three tests of spectrotemporal processing (two tests of stochastically modulated pattern discrimination and one test of spectral resolution). Participants were 28 adult Spanish-English bilinguals whose English acquisition began either early (≤ 6 years old) or late (≥ 7 years old) and 18 English monolingual speakers.

RESULTS

Significant differences were found in six of the 10 tests. The differences were most pronounced for vowel perception in quiet, speech-in-noise test, and two tests of speech comprehension in noise. Late bilinguals consistently scored lower than native English speakers or early bilinguals. In contrast, no differences between groups were observed for digits-in-noise or three tests of spectrotemporal processing abilities.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest initial feasibility of online assessment in this population and can inform selection of tests for auditory assessment of Spanish-English bilinguals.

Training the pronunciation of L2 vowels under different conditions: the use of non-lexical materials and masking noise

The current study extends traditional perceptual high-variability phonetic training (HVPT) in a foreign language learning context by implementing a comprehensive training paradigm that combines perception (discrimination and identification) and production (immediate repetition) training tasks and by exploring two potentially enhancing training conditions: the use of non-lexical training stimuli and the presence of masking noise during production training. We assessed training effects on L1-Spanish/Catalan bilingual EFL learners' production of a difficult English vowel contrast (/æ/-/ʌ/). The participants (N = 62) were randomly assigned to either non-lexical (N = 24) or lexical (N = 24) training and were further subdivided into two groups, one trained in noise (N = 12) and one in silence (N = 12). An untrained control group (N = 14) was also tested. Training gains, measured through spectral distance scores (Euclidean distances) with respect to native speakers' productions of /æ/ and /ʌ/, were assessed through delayed word and sentence repetition tasks. The results showed an advantage of non-lexical training over lexical training, detrimental effects of noise for participants trained with nonwords, but not for those trained with words, and less accurate production of vowels elicited in isolated words than in words embedded in sentences, where training gains were only observable for participants trained with nonwords.

Perception of English and Catalan vowels by English and Catalan listeners: A study of reciprocal cross-linguistic similarity

This study reports the results of two experiments aimed at assessing the perceived similarity between English and Catalan vowels and diphthongs. Perceived similarity judgements were elicited from speakers of both languages involved and were compared to first language identification data from the same speakers. In experiment 1, a group of 27 naive Catalan listeners performed a perceptual assimilation task in which they were asked to identify Catalan and English vowels in terms of native categories and provide a goodness of fit rating. In experiment 2, a group of native speakers of Southern British English performed an adaptation of the same task. The results showed that most non-native vowels were consistently perceived as instances of a given native category, with varying degrees of goodness of fit. In a few cases, assimilation scores were very high in both experiments, pointing to the possibility of near-identical or shared categories. A few asymmetrical mappings were found, which were linked to the influence of language-specific cues such as the role of vowel duration in English. These results emphasize the importance of contrasting native and non-native perception and the potential of reciprocal approaches for making predictions about non-native perception and second language development.

Bidirectional influence on L1 Spanish and L2 English stop perception: The role of L2 experience

Previous research found that second language (L2) experience may cause an interaction between first language (L1) and L2 categories. This study examines the effect of L2 experience on L1 and L2 stop perception. Three groups of Spanish learners of English varying in L2 experience completed a /p/-/b/ identification task-which included stimuli varying along a Voice Onset Time continuum-in each language. Results suggested that L2 experience improves the perception of L2 stops, but that it also affects L1 perception. Moreover, all groups appeared to have a shared L1-L2 category for bilabial stops, as perception patterns did not differ between languages.