Perceiving Listener-directed Speech: Effects of Authenticity and Lexical Neighborhood Density

摘要

Numerous studies have examined the properties of "clear" speech—speech produced in the context of real or imagined communicative difficulties. In general, clear speech is characterized by hyperarticulation. However, the effect of clear speech on coarticulation varies: simulated clear speech contexts have less nasal coarticulation while speech directed toward a real listener has more. Additionally, both hyperarticulation and nasal coarticulation vary based on neighborhood density (ND): words from dense phonological neighborhoods have a greater degree of both, relative to words from sparse neighborhoods. This study examines what consequences these effects in production have for perception by means of a lexical decision task with speech from two different "clear" conditions. The findings indicate that real listener directed speech is perceived faster than simulated clear speech. Further, Hi ND words (with hyperarticulation and increased coarticulation, as in real listener directed speech) were faster than Lo ND words.