Perception of voice onset time in Singapore English

Abstract

This study investigates how voice onset time (VOT) is perceived in Singapore English (SgE). SgE research acknowledges that Singaporeans linguistically accommodate their listeners—varying between using Standard Singapore English (SSE) or Singlish (colloquial SgE) depending on addressee. Liu 2011 (n.p.) suggests these linguistic accommodations are reflected in VOT production, finding Singaporeans to produce more short-lag VOT (indicative of Singlish) when speaking to other Singaporeans and longer VOT (indicative of SSE) when speaking to Americans. Though these are sub-categorical shifts, they demonstrate the utility of VOT in speakers’ efforts when accommodating listeners. The current study tests whether VOT is also available as a salient and social perceptual cue. Three listening experiments investigate (1) Singaporeans’ baseline categorical perception of a /ba/-/pa/ continuum, (2) whether this baseline is affected when heard with socially salient pictures (i.e., linguistic stereotypes—an ah lian or a business woman), and (3) whether dialectal carrier phrases—whether stimuli are presented within a SSE or Singlish phrase—affects perception of the same stimuli. Preliminary results show listener age and educational background, which allude to an effect of dialectal experience (Sumner and Samuel 2009), play important roles in the perception of VOT.