Higher-level linguistic categories dominate lower-level acoustics in lexical tone processing

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
T Christina Zhao, P K Kuhl

Abstract

Native tonal-language speakers exhibit reduced sensitivity to lexical tone differences within, compared to across, categories (higher-level linguistic category influence). Yet, sensitivity is enhanced among musically trained, non-tonal-language-speaking individuals (lower-level acoustics processing influence). The current study investigated the relative contribution of higher- and lower-level influences when both are present. Seventeen Mandarin musicians completed music pitch and lexical tone discrimination tasks. Similar to English musicians [Zhao and Kuhl (2015). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 137(3), 1452-1463], Mandarin musicians' overall sensitivity to lexical tone differences was associated with music pitch score, suggesting lower-level contributions. However, the musician's sensitivities to lexical tone pairs along a continuum were similar to Mandarin non-musicians, reflecting dominant higher-level influences.

References

Aug 31, 2006·The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America·Yisheng XuAlexander L Francis
Mar 14, 2007·Nature Neuroscience·Patrick C M WongNina Kraus
Mar 18, 2008·Brain and Language·Bharath ChandrasekaranJackson T Gandour
Mar 20, 2015·The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America·T Christina Zhao, Patricia K Kuhl

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Citations

Sep 14, 2016·Brain Research·Ioanna ZiogaJoydeep Bhattacharya
Nov 1, 2017·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Xiaopeng SiBo Hong
Nov 15, 2018·The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America·Fei Chen, Gang Peng

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