The effect of semantic predictability on vowel production with pure word deafness

Main author: Chang, C. B.
Other authors: Fischer-Baum, S.
Format: Book Chapters           
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id eprints-20246
recordtype eprints
institution SOAS, University of London
collection SOAS Research Online
language English
language_search English
topic BF Psychology
P Philology. Linguistics
PE English
Q Science (General)
RB Pathology
description Vowels tend to be reduced in words that are semantically predictable from context, an effect amenable to talker- or listener-oriented accounts of speech production. This study explored the role of perception in these accounts by testing for effects of semantic predictability on vowel production in the face of impaired speech perception (but otherwise normal hearing) -- namely, in a patient with pure word deafness. Analysis of the patient’s English vowels in read speech showed no effect of semantic predictability on vowel duration, but the expected effect on vowel dispersion: vowels tended to be less dispersed in predictable than in unpredictable words. Overall, these findings contradict listener-oriented accounts of reduction relying on stored exemplars or online perceptual modeling, suggesting instead that reduction arises due to talker-centric factors related to activation of long-term, abstract representations.
author_additional Scottish Consortium for ICPhS 2015, The
author_additionalStr Scottish Consortium for ICPhS 2015, The
format Book Chapters
author Chang, C. B.
author_facet Chang, C. B.
Fischer-Baum, S.
authorStr Chang, C. B.
author_letter Chang, C. B.
author2 Fischer-Baum, S.
author2Str Fischer-Baum, S.
title The effect of semantic predictability on vowel production with pure word deafness
publisher University of Glasgow
publishDate 2015
url https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/20246/