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Related Experiment Video

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Author Spotlight: Investigating the Impact of Emotional Prosodies on Voice Recognition and Perception

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Brain electrical dynamics in speech segmentation depends upon prior experience with the language.

Shweta Soni¹, Matthew S Tata¹

¹The University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada.

Brain and Language

|May 22, 2021

Summary

Speech tracking mechanisms remain unclear. Electroencephalography (EEG) revealed theta-band tracking is independent of language experience, but native and non-native speakers differ in word boundary processing.

Keywords:

EEG Prior language experience Speech segmentation Speech tracking

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Interaction between Phonological and Semantic Processes in Visual Word Recognition using Electrophysiology

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Published on: June 29, 2021

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psycholinguistics
Auditory Perception

Background:

Speech segmentation is crucial for language comprehension.
The underlying neural mechanisms of speech tracking, which aids segmentation, are debated.
It is unclear if speech tracking relies on linguistic knowledge or acoustic input.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether speech tracking mechanisms are driven by prior linguistic experience or acoustic stimuli.
To explore differences in speech segmentation between native and non-native speakers using electroencephalography (EEG).

Main Methods:

Recorded EEG responses from native and non-native English speakers exposed to identical auditory stimuli.
Analyzed theta-band speech envelope tracking and higher frequency dynamics.
Examined phase dynamics at word boundaries and their correlation with perceptual segmentation.

Main Results:

Theta-band speech envelope tracking did not significantly differ between native and non-native speakers, suggesting independence from prior language experience.
Repetition of sentences led to changes in theta-band tracking, indicating a priming effect.
Native and non-native speakers exhibited distinct phase dynamics at word boundaries, pointing to differing segmentation strategies.
The relationship between phoneme-level processing (higher frequency dynamics) and word segmentation was influenced by language experience.

Conclusions:

Speech tracking, particularly at the theta-band level, appears to be largely independent of prior language experience.
Priming effects influence speech tracking across repetitions.
Differences in neural processing at word boundaries highlight distinct segmentation mechanisms between native and non-native speakers.
The integration of phoneme-level information into perceptual word segmentation is modulated by an individual's language background.