Perception of Japanese pitch accent: Examination of minimal accent pairs

Yukiko Sugiyama

doi:10.1121/1.4787472

Effects of Signal to Noise Ratios on Japanese Pitch Accent Perception and Pitch Pattern Discrimination

Audiology and Speech Research ◽

10.21848/audiol.2008.4.2.188 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 188-193

Author(s):

Jaehwan Hyun ◽

Dukhwan Lim

Keyword(s):

Pattern Discrimination ◽

Pitch Accent ◽

Signal To Noise ◽

Pitch Pattern ◽

Accent Perception ◽

Japanese Pitch Accent

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Production and reproduction of Japanese pitch-accent by German, Italian, Vietnam, and Swahili speakers

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America ◽

10.1121/1.4970652 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 140 (4) ◽

pp. 3338-3338

Author(s):

Ryoko Hayashi ◽

Kazuhiro Isomura ◽

Makiko Matsuda ◽

Natsuya Yoshida ◽

Motoko Ueyama

Keyword(s):

Pitch Accent ◽

Japanese Pitch Accent

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Native and nonnative processing of Japanese pitch accent

Applied Psycholinguistics ◽

10.1017/s0142716411000506 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 33 (3) ◽

pp. 623-641 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

XIANGHUA WU ◽

JUNG-YUEH TU ◽

YUE WANG

Keyword(s):

Left Hemisphere ◽

Right Hemisphere ◽

Pitch Accent ◽

Lexical Tone ◽

Language Experience ◽

Tone Language ◽

Hemisphere Dominance ◽

Nonnative Listeners ◽

Prosodic Processing ◽

Japanese Pitch Accent

ABSTRACTThe theoretical framework of this study is based on the prevalent debate of whether prosodic processing is influenced by higher level linguistic-specific circuits or reflects lower level encoding of physical properties. Using the dichotic listening technique, the study investigates the hemispheric processing of Japanese pitch accent by native Japanese listeners and two groups of nonnative listeners with no prior pitch accent experience but differing in their native language experience with linguistic pitch: native listeners of Mandarin (a tone language with higher linguistic functional use of pitch) and native listeners of English (a stress language with lower functional use of pitch). The overall results reveal that, for both native and nonnative listeners, the processing of Japanese pitch accent is less lateralized (compared to lexical tone processing, which has been found to be a left hemisphere property). However, detailed analysis with individual pitch accents across groups shows a right hemisphere preference for processing the high–accent–low (H*L) pattern, a left hemisphere preference for LH*, and no hemisphere dominance for LH, indicating a significant reliance on the acoustic cues. These patterns are particularly prominent with the English listeners who are least experienced with linguistic pitch. Together, the findings suggest an interplay of linguistic and acoustic aspects in the processing of Japanese pitch accent by native and nonnative listeners.

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A Japanese pitch accent practice program and L1 influence on pitch accent acquisition

Proceedings of the Linguistic Society of America ◽

10.3765/plsa.v3i1.4276 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jeff Peterson

Keyword(s):

Group Treatment ◽

First Language ◽

Pitch Accent ◽

Control Group ◽

Mixed Design ◽

Significant Interaction Effect ◽

L1 Influence ◽

Participant Group ◽

Japanese Pitch Accent ◽

Mixed Design Anova

Recent research has demonstrated that learners of Japanese struggle producing correct Japanese pitch accent. The goal of the present study was to investigate the effect learners’ first language (L1) may have on accent acquisition following the introduction and use of a digital Japanese Pitch Accent Learning and Practice (PALP) program in two Japanese courses. The PALP program visually and aurally presents learners with pitch patterns and requires learners to select the correct pitch accent pattern for new vocabulary. Participants’ pitch accent abilities were assessed at the beginning and end of their courses. A mixed design ANOVA was conducted to analyze the effect of learners’ L1 on pitch accent acquisition. Results evince a significant interaction effect between participant group (treatment/control) and L1 (Chinese/English), F(1, 24) = 10.09, p < .01 (η2 = .30). Specifically, English L1 participants in the treatment group considerably outperformed the control group English L1 participants. However, the Chinese L1 participants in both groups performed at approximately equal levels. These results suggest the existence of an L1 influence on pitch accent acquisition.

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