Abstract
Recent trends in infant (and adult) speech perception studies, especially in the psychological literature where much of the speech perception work is being and has been done, shows a growing focus on more integrated perception-production-sensorimotor (PPS) bases for perception (Werker & Gervain 2013). We look here at whether the results of such studies are significant for theoretical linguistics – specifically for the fundamental question of how the linguistic system is acquired. We examine a selection of recent experimental results, using Bruderer, Danielson, Kandhadai & Werker (2015) as the focal point.
Highlights
There have been some interesting and, in some cases quite surprising, experimental results in the area of speech perception lately.1 Our purpose here, given the brief space we have, is to explore one such study in a relatively detailed manner with a view to attempting to uncover the significance of the results for theoretical aspects of phonology and its acquisition
Of particular interest to us and to theories of phonology, these findings would indicate that our current understanding of the nature of features and how they relate to phonology is potentially flawed, especially the idea that phonology may be best conceived of as ‘substance free’
BDKW (2015) presents the results of three experiments designed to explore whether the well-established influence [in BDKW’s view—mh&mk] of speech production on speech perception in adults is a result of experience or
Summary
There have been some interesting and, in some cases quite surprising, experimental results in the area of speech perception lately. Our purpose here, given the brief space we have, is to explore one such study in a relatively detailed manner with a view to attempting to uncover the significance of the results for theoretical aspects of phonology and its acquisition. Environment infants negatively impacts these infants’ capacity to discriminate between a dental ([d ]) and a retroflex ([ɖ]) voiced stop This result is surprising in several respects. It seems to indicate a relationship between productive capacity and perception which is counter-indicated by previous research on perception (Werker & Tees, 1984 inter alia).
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