Differences in production account for differences in perception: The Gradual Learning Algorithm predicts language-specific cue weighting

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Differences in production account for
differences in perception The Gradual Learning
Algorithm predicts language-specific cue weighting
Paul Boersma, University of Amsterdam Paola
Escudero, University of Reading Lisbon, February
2, 2001
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Sound Contrasts

• Sound contrasts and acoustic information
• An example of a sound contrast in English
• What are the acoustic differences between the
  two?

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Acoustic cues to sheep vs. ship
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Elspeth and Lizs production environments
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Do Elspeth and Liz perceive 350 Hz, 80 ms as
sheep or as ship?
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Why using the nearest production prototype in
perception?

• Why not perceiving it as an /e/ or an /o/?
• Answer likelihood maximisation, the most
  likely category
• Functional principle minimisation of perceptual
  confusion probability

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How do Elspeth and Liz perceive the segments
reliably?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
350 Hz, 80 ms 350 Hz not /I/ 80 ms not /i/ 80 ms not /I/ 350 Hz not /i/
/I/ !
? /i/
350 Hz, 80 ms 350 Hz not /i/ 80 ms not /i/ 80 ms not /I/ 350 Hz not /I/
? /I/
/i/ !
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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How about baby Elspeth and baby Liz?
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How about baby Elspeth and baby Liz?

• Little Elspeth makes a mistake when categorising
  350 Hz, 80 ms

 
 
 
350 Hz, 80 ms 350 Hz not /i/ 80 ms not /i/ 80 ms not /I/ 350 Hz not /I/
? /I/ ? ?
? /i/ !? ?
 
 
 
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Little Elspeth and little Liz have learned to
perceive sheep and ship reliably, they are
adults
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Little Elspeth and little Liz have learned to
perceive sheep and ship reliably, they are
adults
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The perception of real adult Elspeth and Liz