Perceptual assimilation and categorical discrimination of Korean stop consonants by native Thai speakers

Abstract

This study examined cross language perceptual assimilation and cross language categorical discrimination. Experiment 1 assessed the native Thai speakers’ ability to discriminate pairs of Korean stop consonants (plain, aspirated, reinforced) at three places of articulation (bilabial, alveolar, and velar). Experiment 2 assessed the perceived relation between the three classes of Korean stop consonants and the three classes of Thai stop consonants (voiced, voiceless unaspirated, voiceless aspirated). Preliminary results suggested that, in general, native Thai speakers assimilated the Korean plain and aspirated stops to the Thai aspirated stops, and the Korean reinforced stops to the Thai unaspirated stops. Results of the categorical discrimination revealed that native Thai speakers were able to successfully discriminate pairs of Korean stop consonants and that there was no relationship between their perceptual assimilation patterns and their ability to discriminate Korean stop consonants. Since the main perceptual cue to the discrimination of Thai stops is voice onset time (VOT), these results suggest that VOT is also the main perceptual cue for the discrimination of Korean stops. Moreover, laryngealization seems to play only a minor role in the perception of Korean stop consonants.