Perception of English Tense and Lax Vowels based on the Mechanism of Selective Attention

Abstract

This study examined how the mechanisms of selective attention operate in perceiving English tense and lax vowels by Korean speakers. Given that each language system differently operates these mechanisms, the study predicted that Korean speakers would show poorer performance in back vowel pairs than the front ones and differently employ the acoustic cue in discriminating those pairs regarding the different vowel duration caused by following contrastive voicing consonants. For this, two different types of perception tests were carried out. The results demonstrated as follows. First, overall correct rates were much higher in the 4I-oddity test than in the identification test, which indicated higher sensitivity to the acoustic signal. Second, back vowel pairs were less accurately perceived than the front ones in the 4I-oddity test with a considerable difference. Third, in terms of voicing contrast following tense and lax vowels, a significant difference was only found in the 4I-oddity test. This finding verified that Korean speakers partially paid enhanced attention to vowel length when acquiring English high back tense and lax vowel contrast.