Discrimination of duration ratios in bisyllabic tokens by native English and Estonian listeners

Abstract

In an earlier study [ Journal of Phonetics (1987), 15 , 349–363], we examined the ability of Estonian and English speakers to discriminate among pairs of noise bursts whose durations were in the ratios of 1 : 2, 2: 3, 3 : 2, and 2 : 1. The results obtained showed that both groups of listeners clearly recognized only two contrastive patterns: 1 : 2 and 2 : 3 vs. 3 : 2 and 2: 1. Since there may be a difference in the perception of duration ratios when listeners are in a speech mode of perception rather than a non-speech mode, the present study is a replication of the earlier study using bisyllabic tokens as stimuli instead of noise-burst sequences. Again, the obtained results show the same contrastive patterns. The data support a reanalysis of the three-way quantity contrast in Estonian into two-way contrast based on duration (short-long vs. long-short) and a contrast based upon F 0 contours.