A cross-linguistic comparison on the use of acoustic cues for ambiguity resolution

Abstract

In producing structurally ambiguous sentences, speakers often rely on prosodic acoustic cues (duration, pitch, and intensity) to enhance communication. This study compared speakers of two typologically different languages in their use of these cues for ambiguity resolution. Ten English and 10 Korean speakers completed a production task in their native language. Stimulus sentences included a relative clause which could modify either the first or the second noun (e.g., the boss of the clerk who was dishonest). The participants produced each sentence twice, being directed each time to convey one or the other of the two possible meanings. English speakers used both prosodic boundary cues, by inserting pause between words, and word prominence, by producing greater pitch movement and intensity on the heads of prosodic phrases. Korean speakers, on the other hand, used pre-boundary word lengthening and pause to mark prosodic phrase boundaries but did not use pitch or intensity to manipulate word prominence. These results suggest that the prosodic typology of languages (e.g., head-prominence vs. edge-prominence) influences the interface between syntax and phonology.In producing structurally ambiguous sentences, speakers often rely on prosodic acoustic cues (duration, pitch, and intensity) to enhance communication. This study compared speakers of two typologically different languages in their use of these cues for ambiguity resolution. Ten English and 10 Korean speakers completed a production task in their native language. Stimulus sentences included a relative clause which could modify either the first or the second noun (e.g., the boss of the clerk who was dishonest). The participants produced each sentence twice, being directed each time to convey one or the other of the two possible meanings. English speakers used both prosodic boundary cues, by inserting pause between words, and word prominence, by producing greater pitch movement and intensity on the heads of prosodic phrases. Korean speakers, on the other hand, used pre-boundary word lengthening and pause to mark prosodic phrase boundaries but did not use pitch or intensity to manipulate word prominence. These...