The perception of speech modulation cues in lexical tones is guided by early language-specific experience.

ABSTRACT: A number of studies showed that infants reorganize their perception of speech sounds according to their native language categories during their first year of life. Still, information is lacking about the contribution of basic auditory mechanisms to this process. This study aimed to evaluate when native language experience starts to noticeably affect the perceptual processing of basic acoustic cues [i.e., frequency-modulation (FM) and amplitude-modulation information] known to be crucial for speech perception in adults. The discrimination of a lexical-tone contrast (rising versus low) was assessed in 6- and 10-month-old infants learning either French or Mandarin using a visual habituation paradigm. The lexical tones were presented in two conditions designed to either keep intact or to sever

SUBMITTER: Cabrera L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4551816 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature