Abstract
Our analyses show that all manipulations result in lower accentedness and higher comprehensibility ratings. Moreover, both measures are not affected in the same way by different combinations of prosodic features: For accentedness, Dutch listeners appear most influenced by intonation, and intonation combined with speech rate. This holds for comprehensibility ratings as well, but here the combination of all three properties, including rhythm, also significantly affects ratings by native speakers. Thus, our study reaffirms the importance of differentiating between different aspects of perception and provides insight into those features that are most likely to affect how native speakers perceive second language learners.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of Interspeech 2017 |
| Pages | 364-368 |
| Publication status | Published - 2017 |
| Event | Interspeech 2017: Situated Interaction - Stockholm, Sweden Duration: 20 Aug 2017 → 24 Aug 2017 |
Conference
| Conference | Interspeech 2017 |
|---|---|
| Country | Sweden |
| City | Stockholm |
| Period | 20/08/17 → 24/08/17 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- intonation
- rhythm
- speech rate
- accentedness
- comprehensibility
Cite this
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L1 perceptions of L2 prosody : The interplay between intonation, rhythm, and speech rate and their contribution to accentedness and comprehensibility. / van Maastricht, Lieke; Zee, Tim; Krahmer, Emiel; Swerts, Marc.
Proceedings of Interspeech 2017. 2017. p. 364-368.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review
TY - GEN
T1 - L1 perceptions of L2 prosody
T2 - The interplay between intonation, rhythm, and speech rate and their contribution to accentedness and comprehensibility
AU - van Maastricht, Lieke
AU - Zee, Tim
AU - Krahmer, Emiel
AU - Swerts, Marc
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - This study investigates the cumulative effect of (non-)native intonation, rhythm, and speech rate in utterances produced by Spanish learners of Dutch on Dutch native listeners’ perceptions. In order to assess the relative contribution of these language-specific properties to perceived accentedness and comprehensibility, speech produced by Spanish learners of Dutch was manipulated using transplantation and resynthesis techniques. Thus, eight manipulation conditions reflecting all possible combinations of L1 and L2 intonation, rhythm, and speech rate were created, resulting in 320 utterances that were rated by 50 Dutch natives on their degree of foreign accent and ease of comprehensibility.Our analyses show that all manipulations result in lower accentedness and higher comprehensibility ratings. Moreover, both measures are not affected in the same way by different combinations of prosodic features: For accentedness, Dutch listeners appear most influenced by intonation, and intonation combined with speech rate. This holds for comprehensibility ratings as well, but here the combination of all three properties, including rhythm, also significantly affects ratings by native speakers. Thus, our study reaffirms the importance of differentiating between different aspects of perception and provides insight into those features that are most likely to affect how native speakers perceive second language learners.
AB - This study investigates the cumulative effect of (non-)native intonation, rhythm, and speech rate in utterances produced by Spanish learners of Dutch on Dutch native listeners’ perceptions. In order to assess the relative contribution of these language-specific properties to perceived accentedness and comprehensibility, speech produced by Spanish learners of Dutch was manipulated using transplantation and resynthesis techniques. Thus, eight manipulation conditions reflecting all possible combinations of L1 and L2 intonation, rhythm, and speech rate were created, resulting in 320 utterances that were rated by 50 Dutch natives on their degree of foreign accent and ease of comprehensibility.Our analyses show that all manipulations result in lower accentedness and higher comprehensibility ratings. Moreover, both measures are not affected in the same way by different combinations of prosodic features: For accentedness, Dutch listeners appear most influenced by intonation, and intonation combined with speech rate. This holds for comprehensibility ratings as well, but here the combination of all three properties, including rhythm, also significantly affects ratings by native speakers. Thus, our study reaffirms the importance of differentiating between different aspects of perception and provides insight into those features that are most likely to affect how native speakers perceive second language learners.
KW - intonation
KW - rhythm
KW - speech rate
KW - accentedness
KW - comprehensibility
M3 - Conference contribution
SP - 364
EP - 368
BT - Proceedings of Interspeech 2017
ER -