Effects of syllable duration on stop-glide identification in syllable-initial and syllable-final position by humans and monkeys

Author(s): Brown, C. H., Borneman, M. A.

Journal/Book: Percept Psychophys. 1998; 60: 1710 Fortview Rd, Austin, TX 78704. Psychonomic Soc Inc. 1032-1043.

Abstract: Humans and monkeys were compared in their identification of phoneme boundaries along synthetic stop-glide continua in syllable-initial /ba/-/wa/ or syllable-final /bab/-/baw/ contrasts differing in overall syllable duration. For both contrasts, humans were first tested with a conventional written identification procedure. Here, similar phoneme boundaries emerged and shifted with increases in syllable duration toward longer transitions, as has previously been reported in the literature for syllable-initial data (Miller & Liberman, 1979). Humans and monkeys were then tested on these contrasts, using a go/no-go identification procedure specifically designed for monkeys. Here also, stop-glide boundaries emerged and shifted with increased syllable duration for both species, although monkey ''boundaries'' were at longer durations than humans' in syllable-final position. The results indicate that there are both gross similarities and subtle differences between humans and monkeys with regard to the stop-glide context effect. The results are discussed in relation to the hypothesis that general mammalian auditory mechanisms are responsible for this effect.

Note: Article Sinnott JM, Univ S Alabama, Dept Psychol, Mobile,AL 36688 USA

Keyword(s): BUDGERIGARS MELOPSITTACUS-UNDULATUS; SPEECH-PERCEPTION; ENHANCED DISCRIMINABILITY; PHONETIC BOUNDARIES; NONSPEECH SIGNALS; JUDGMENTS RESULT; DISTINCTION; CATEGORIES; MACAQUES; FORMANT

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