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Phonetic processing of non-native speech in semantic vs non-semantic tasks
Erin Gustafson1, Caroline Engstler1, Matthew Goldrick1
1Department of Linguistics, Northwestern University, 2016 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208 egustafson@u.northwestern.edu, caroline.engstler@ef.com, matt-goldrick@northwestern.edu.
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|February 12, 2015
Summary
Bilinguals exhibit slower, more accented speech during picture naming tasks, which involve semantic processing, compared to simple repetition. This highlights the impact of cognitive load on second language phonetic production.
Area of Science:
- Psycholinguistics
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Speech Science
Background:
- Previous research indicates that individuals with speech production difficulties find phonetic processing harder when semantic processing is also required.
- This suggests an interaction between cognitive and phonetic systems in speech production.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether bilinguals experience similar phonetic processing difficulties in tasks requiring semantic engagement.
- To compare the phonetic production of bilinguals in picture naming versus speech repetition tasks.
Main Methods:
- English-French bilinguals participated in the study.
- Their speech productions were analyzed during two tasks: picture naming (requiring semantic processing) and repetition (not requiring semantic processing).
- Key metrics included speech rate and accentuation.
Main Results:
- Bilinguals produced speech that was significantly slower during picture naming compared to repetition.
- Speech produced during picture naming was also more accented than during repetition.
- These findings indicate a measurable effect of semantic task demands on bilingual phonetic output.
Conclusions:
- The results support theories that integrate cognitive and phonetic processes in speech production.
- Cognitive factors, such as semantic load, must be considered when analyzing the phonetic systems of bilinguals and second language learners.
- This research underscores the complexity of bilingual speech production and its susceptibility to cognitive influences.
