Training /v/–/w/ perception with native speakers of Indian languages

Abstract

Experiments in training listeners to perceive non-native categories are an important aspect of cross-language perception research. In this study, ten native speakers of various Indian languages participated in training designed to improve perception of the English /v/–/w/ contrast using a fading technique (Jamieson and Morosan, 1986). First the subjects labeled English /p, b, f, v, w/ using native language (L1) orthography to ensure that other L1 consonants were not evoked by acoustic cues to English /v/, /w/. They also rated the closeness of the English sound they heard to the sound in their L1. In the five-day training, subjects heard natural stimuli produced by four (two males and two females) English speakers. The steady-state portion of the initial consonant was reiterated by varying amounts with subjects hearing progressively shorter consonants as the training progressed. Both discrimination and identification training with feedback were used. Pre- and post-training testing with stimuli from new speakers as well as recording of production of Indian subjects was completed. Results and implications will be discussed.