Cross language differences in tone perception.

Using an individual differences multidimensional scaling model of perception, the present crosslanguage investigation seeks to determine what dimensions underlie the perception of linguistic tone, and to what extent an individual's language background (Thai, Yoruba, or American English) influences his perception. Dissimilarities data were obtained from subject's paired-comparison judgments of thirteen different pitch patterns superimposed on a synthetic speechlike syllable. A multidimensional scaling analysis of the data for the total group revealed that five dimensions-interpretively labeled, AVERAGE PITCH, DIRECTION, LENGTH, EXTREME ENDPOINT and SLOPE-best summarize the perceptual structure underlying the dissimilarities data. Language subgroup variation in relative importance of these dimensions appears to be primarily related to subgroup differences in the way pitch is used to convey linguistic information. Discriminant analysis showed that most individual speakers of a tone language (Thai or Yoruba) can be easily distinguished from speakers of a nontone language (English) on the basis of their distinctive patterns of perceptual saliency for these five dimensions. [Research supported in part by fellowship grants provided by SSRC and NSF to first author. UCLA 1975-1976.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]