The University of Sheffield
Department of Computer Science

Jian Gong MSc Dissertation 2005/06

"Comparing non-native and native speech perception in noise"

Supervised by Professor MP Cooke

Abstract

Non-native English listeners' speech perception abilities suffer more than native English listeners' in noise conditions. Previous research showed that different types of noise maskers have different effects on European non-native (Spanish) listeners'English speech perception. This project is going to design, execute and analyze a speech perception experiments with a non-European language group using a variety of noise masker types, trying to find out whether those different noise maskers have the same effects on non-European listeners. A group of native Chinese listeners participated in the experiment. Results show that although Chinese listeners have many similarities with the Spanish listeners, however, there are also some differences between. The masker type and nativeness had significant interaction on Spanish group but not interacted on Chinese group. A strong positive correlation between the performance in quiet and the drop of performance in noise was found on Spanish group while this correlation was not found on Chinese group.