Individual variability in cue weighting for first-language vowels

Payam Ghaffarvand Mokari,Stefan Werner

doi:10.3989/loquens.2017.044

Abstract

This study investigates the use of different cues in discrimination of Azerbaijani /oe/ and /ɯ/ vowels. Regarding the large overlap in f1-f2 vowel space in the production of these vowels, this study researched for other possible cues in their categorization. Twenty native Azerbaijani listeners were tested through a perceptual identification test. Since f2 was weighted more consistently through the experiment, it is suggested that f2 is the primary cue in discriminating of this vowel pair. We observed individual differences in the perceptual weighting of f2 and f3 among the listeners. Although most of the participants gave more weight to f2, some others weighted f3 heavier than f2 or gave weight to both cues equally. These findings expand the knowledge on perceptual cue weighting and point the importance of examining cue weighting at the individual level.

Highlights

There are multiple acoustic dimensions that define speech categories
Strange and Jenkins (2013), in their Dynamic Specification model, mention that the most important cues to vowel identity are in the spectro-temporal patterns of consonant–vowel and vowel–consonant formant transitions
The current study examined perceptual weighting of different acoustic dimensions in perceptual discrimination of Azerbaijani /œ/ and /ɯ/ vowels

Summary

Introduction

There are multiple acoustic dimensions that define speech categories. Listeners categorize speech sounds based on these continuous acoustic cues. Listeners need to determine which cues are relevant to pay attention to, and what relative importance each cue has in order to assign more weight to that cue. Several studies have attempted to find the acoustic dimensions that are important in the discrimination of different speech sounds. Morrison (2013) provides a review of theories related to dynamic aspects of vowel perception. Strange and Jenkins (2013), in their Dynamic Specification model, mention that the most important cues to vowel identity are in the spectro-temporal patterns of consonant–vowel and vowel–consonant formant transitions Several studies have attempted to find the acoustic dimensions that are important in the discrimination of different speech sounds. Morrison (2013) provides a review of theories related to dynamic aspects of vowel perception. Strange and Jenkins (2013), in their Dynamic Specification model, mention that the most important cues to vowel identity are in the spectro-temporal patterns of consonant–vowel and vowel–consonant formant transitions

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