EXAM 2- SLHS 2204

Why do acoustic properties of speech vary significantly with context?

Because of the influence of surrounding phonemes

Why is identifying phoneme boundaries challenging in spoken language?

Because phonemes are produced in an overlapping manner

How does the brain compensate for the 'lack of invariance' in phonetic sounds?

By employing sophisticated auditory processing strategies

What role does auditory perception play in handling the invariant problem of speech?

It abstracts consistent phonetic elements from a variable acoustic stream

What is the significance of formant transitions in distinguishing phonemes?

They help distinguish different phonemes

What is the primary challenge of speech recognition technology due to coarticulation?

Distinguishing individual phonemes

What does the term 'formant transitions' refer to in speech acoustics?

The rapid changes in formant frequencies

How does the auditory system handle the 'lack of invariance' in speech sounds?

By mapping variable acoustic signals to consistent phonemic categories

What implication does coarticulation have for learning and teaching languages?

It highlights the importance of context in pronunciation practice

What role does the 'auditory system's flexibility' play in speech perception?

It helps adapt to acoustic variability

What does 'anticipatory coarticulation' demonstrate about speech production?

Influence of upcoming sounds on current phoneme production

What phenomenon does 'perceptual constancy' in speech refer to?

The consistent perception of phonemes

What does the variability in formant frequencies illustrate about speech processing?

The complexity of mapping acoustic signals to phonemic categories

How do listeners deal with variations in speech due to coarticulation?

By using context and knowledge of language

What challenge does coarticulation pose for speech recognition systems?

Difficulty in distinguishing discrete phonetic units

In what way does the perception of formant transitions aid in speech understanding?

By aiding in the segmentation of continuous speech

What does the study of coarticulation reveal about speech production?

The complexity and efficiency of the vocal tract

Why is it difficult to determine phoneme boundaries in spoken language?

Because of the overlapping nature of articulatory movements

How does the 'Locus equation' help in understanding coarticulation?

It explains the acoustic merging of sounds

Why do speech sounds produced in different contexts sound the same to us?

Due to perceptual normalization by our auditory system

How does bilingualism affect phonemic categorization in infants?

It enhances flexibility in phonemic categorization

How do infants typically respond to 'Infant Directed Speech' (IDS)?

With increased attention and responsiveness

How does Voice Onset Time (VOT) affect speech perception?

It distinguishes between voiced and voiceless consonants.

Which method is used to study detailed articulatory movements in speech production?

Electromagnetic Articulography (EMA)

Which aspect of language does categorical perception primarily relate to?

Phonetics

What does the presence of a burst in speech spectrograms indicate?

The release of a stop consonant

What is the role of formants in speech production?

They shape the quality of vowels and consonants.

What does the adjustment of the vocal tract's shape allow speakers to do?

Produce a wide range of phonetic sounds

What aspect of speech does the 'vowel triangle' help to analyze?

The relationships between different vowel sounds

What is the primary acoustic cue used to differentiate voiced from voiceless consonants in English?

Timing between consonant release and vowel voicing onset

What role does the vocal tract play in speech production?

It modifies sounds produced by the vocal folds.

What does a spectrogram visually display about speech sounds?

The frequency, intensity, and time of speech sounds

In speech science, what does the term 'phonetic sound' refer to?

The acoustic properties of speech sounds

Which concept is vital for understanding voiceless stop consonants in English?

Voice Onset Time (VOT)

How do infants recognize their native language outside the womb?

By detecting familiar prosodic and phonetic patterns

What is the significance of the point vowels /i, u, a/ in phonetics?

They map the vowel space in phonetic studies

What distinguishes /p/ from /b/ in terms of phonetic articulation?

Voicing and aspiration

What factor is NOT involved in shaping the VOT characteristics of a language?

The frequency of language use

How do babies as young as six months recognize speech?

By responding to phonetic and prosodic cues

What influences the categorization of phonemes in different languages?

The specific phonetic structures and auditory experiences of the language

What is a significant effect of language specialization in the brain during early development?

Enhanced processing of native language sounds

What impact does the 'High attentional demands' phase have on language acquisition?

It requires more cognitive resources early on

How does exposure to a native language influence perceptual narrowing in infants?

It increases sensitivity to native phonemes

What developmental advantage does the specialization of brain functions offer to infants?

It enhances processing of native phonetic elements

In language specialization, what does becoming 'committed' to a language mean for infants?

They tune their perception to specific language sounds

How does the 'routine learned' phase affect language processing in infants?

It reduces cognitive effort for familiar sounds

How does the perceptual narrowing process differ between monolingual and bilingual infants?

It shows modified timing and extent

What is the impact of 'routine establishment' in language learning according to cognitive theories?

It enhances efficiency in language processing

Why is measuring brain specialization important in understanding language development?

It provides insights into language processing efficiency

What does the mismatch negativity (MMN) response indicate in infants?

Early auditory processing and adaptability

What role do cognitive processes play in perceptual narrowing of speech perception?

They organize neural pathways to recognize phonetic distinctions

What does the ERP study reveal about language development in infants?

Dynamic changes in response to native language exposure

Why is the study of Japanese infants’ perception of English liquids important?

It illustrates the effects of limited phonetic exposure

How does the cognitive routine of learning a native language influence ERP responses in infants?

It shapes responses to favor native language sounds

What does a focus on cognitive processes in perceptual narrowing research highlight?

The significance of environmental language exposure

What is the significance of categorical perception in language development?

It facilitates precise distinction of phonetic sounds

What mechanism is primarily involved in shaping the phonemic categories in the brain?

Auditory exposure to spoken language

What role do early components in ERP studies play in assessing speech specialization?

They assess sensitivity to phonetic contrasts

What is the primary function of perceptual narrowing in language development?

To specialize auditory perception to native language sounds

How does bilingual exposure affect perceptual narrowing in infants?

It modifies the timing and extent of perceptual narrowing

At what age do infants typically begin to discriminate between two languages from the same rhythmic class?

4 months

What auditory capability do newborns demonstrate regarding their native language?

Preference for the rhythm and sound of the native language

At what age do infants show a clear preference for phonetic details of their native language, according to studies?

By 6 months

How does bilingual exposure affect the perceptual narrowing timeline compared to monolinguals?

It extends the sensitive period for phonetic sensitivity

Which statement best describes the findings on infants' ability to discriminate between languages with different rhythmic properties?

Newborns can discriminate languages from different rhythmic classes

Which method assesses an infant's ability to recognize and differentiate between phonetic contrasts?

Neuroimaging or Neurophysiology techniques

How does interaction with multiple languages affect an infant's phonetic inventory?

It results in a more diverse phonetic inventory

How do infants typically respond to changes in prosody during the early stages of language development?

With heightened auditory attention

Which method is used to measure infants' language recognition skills effectively?

High Amplitude Sucking Technique

What role does auditory feedback play in infants' early language development?

It aids in language learning through sound discrimination

What is the significance of the critical period in language development?

It is an optimal time for language acquisition

What is the primary consequence of perceptual narrowing in infant language development?

Increased sensitivity to phonetic sounds of the native language

Which feature distinguishes infant-directed speech from adult-directed speech?

Higher pitch and exaggerated intonation

Which feature of language development is influenced by early auditory experiences according to recent studies?

Formation of speech sound categories

At what developmental stage do infants typically begin to lose their ability to discriminate between stop consonants that are not used in their native language?

12 months old

What impact does bilingualism have on the perceptual narrowing process?

It extends and adjusts the perceptual narrowing process.

What does the head-turn preference procedure assess in infants?

Auditory preference for sound in the native language(s)

What cognitive process is primarily involved in infants' ability to distinguish between phonemes from different languages?

Categorization

Which experimental method is often used to determine infants' preference for their mother's voice over other voices?

Heart rate monitoring

What impact does the amount of linguistic input from caregivers have on language development in infancy?

Accelerates language development

What does the concept of 'phonetic drift' refer to in the context of the Continuity Hypothesis?

The disappearance of non-native sounds

Which hypothesis is generally favored by research regarding the relationship between babbling and language development?

Continuity Hypothesis

What is the primary characteristic of the cooing stage in infants?

Production of cooing sounds like /kg/ and /oo u/

What behavior is positively correlated with later word production in infants?

Early babbling

What challenge is associated with using questionnaires to study infant language environments?

Inaccuracy due to self-reporting

What technology allows for unobtrusive recording of infants' language environments?

Audio recording devices

How does Adult-Directed Speech (ADS) affect infants' babbling?

It decreases babbling

What is the relationship between early babbling and later word production?

Positive relationship

What does the term 'jargon' refer to in infant speech development?

Speech-like intonation without actual words

At what age do infants typically start producing reduplicated babbling?

6-8 months

Which method involves using audio recorders to study infants' language environments?

Audio recording device method

What is the relationship between Infant-Directed Speech (IDS) and babbling?

IDS increases babbling

How do home visits pose a challenge in studying infant language development?

They alter natural behavior

What conclusion can be drawn from Ramirez-Esparza, Garcia-Sierra, and Kuhl's research on IDS and babbling?

IDS promotes babbling and word production

How does the amount of one-on-one Infant-Directed Speech (IDS) relate to later word production?

It is positively correlated with word production

What observation supports the Continuity Hypothesis regarding deaf and hearing infants?

Deaf infants' babbling diminishes while hearing infants' increases

What does the term 'echolalia' refer to in infant speech development?

The imitation of speech patterns

What is the impact of group Infant-Directed Speech (IDS) on babbling?

It has no effect on babbling

Which hypothesis suggests that babbling has no direct relationship to later speech production?

Discontinuity Hypothesis

What does the Continuity Hypothesis propose about babbling?

Babbling gradually approximates the language in infants' environments