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Chapter 15. The role of perceived similarity and contrast

English loanwords into Korean and Japanese
  • Hyun Kyung Hwang
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Topics in Theoretical Asian Linguistics
This chapter is in the book Topics in Theoretical Asian Linguistics

Abstract

This study explores a pattern of speech perception in Korean and Japanese with special attention to American English vowel /æ/. Two identification tests reveal that Korean speakers pay more attention to the second formant (F2) signaling the backness of a vowel, whereas Japanese speakers are more sensitive to the first formant (F1) signaling the height of a vowel. The distinct sensitivity to different acoustic cues in the languages discussed here is accounted for by two language-specific factors: Different L1 vowel systems and language-specific variations.

Abstract

This study explores a pattern of speech perception in Korean and Japanese with special attention to American English vowel /æ/. Two identification tests reveal that Korean speakers pay more attention to the second formant (F2) signaling the backness of a vowel, whereas Japanese speakers are more sensitive to the first formant (F1) signaling the height of a vowel. The distinct sensitivity to different acoustic cues in the languages discussed here is accounted for by two language-specific factors: Different L1 vowel systems and language-specific variations.

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