0% found this document useful (0 votes)
78 views16 pages

Draf Assignment

The document outlines the significance of speech errors and disfluencies in understanding cognitive processes involved in speech production, emphasizing their role in psycholinguistics. It discusses how these errors reveal insights into language processing, self-monitoring, and communication strategies, particularly in multilingual contexts like Malaysia. The analysis of speech errors is crucial for improving language teaching, AI speech recognition, and professional communication, especially in high-stakes situations such as job interviews.

Uploaded by

Madihah Zahra
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
78 views16 pages

Draf Assignment

The document outlines the significance of speech errors and disfluencies in understanding cognitive processes involved in speech production, emphasizing their role in psycholinguistics. It discusses how these errors reveal insights into language processing, self-monitoring, and communication strategies, particularly in multilingual contexts like Malaysia. The analysis of speech errors is crucial for improving language teaching, AI speech recognition, and professional communication, especially in high-stakes situations such as job interviews.

Uploaded by

Madihah Zahra
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 16

Here’s a detailed outline based on the rubric to ensure you meet all the requirements for your

discussion essay:

Outline: The Role of Speech Errors and


Disfluencies in Understanding the Cognitive
Processes of Speech Production
I. Introduction (200-300 words) – Weight: 0.75
 Hook: Start with an interesting fact, question, or real-life example about speech errors
and disfluencies.
 Definition: Explain what speech errors (e.g., spoonerisms, misderivations) and
disfluencies (e.g., hesitations, false starts) are.
 Importance: Briefly introduce why speech errors and disfluencies are important
in psycholinguistics (e.g., how they provide insight into cognitive processes).
 Thesis Statement: State your main argument: Analyzing speech errors and
disfluencies helps us understand how speech is planned and produced in real time,
offering valuable insights into cognitive processing and communication strategies.
 Structure Preview: Outline what the essay will discuss (e.g., significance of speech
errors, their role in speech planning, implications for communication).

Even proficient speakers occasionally make inadvertent mistakes when speaking. Speech
faults and disfluencies, ranging from slight hesitancies to complete miswordings, offer
important insights into how the human brain interprets language in real time. According to
Sundram et al. (2024) study, Malaysian recent graduates commonly make part-of-speech
mistakes during job interviews, which impairs their communication skills. These mistakes,
which are frequently brought on by language interference and cognitive stress, demonstrate
how difficult it is to produce speech.

Speech errors are inadvertent mistakes in spoken English, like misderivations ("He success in
his career" instead of "He succeeded in his career") and spoonerisms ("You have hissed the
mystery lectures" instead of "You have missed the history lectures"). Conversely,
disfluencies include repeats, false starts (starting a sentence and then stopping), and
hesitations (such as "uh," "um"). Although these might appear to be straightforward errors,
they actually provide insight into how the brain organises, retrieves, and uses language.

Because speech mistakes and disfluencies provide direct evidence of cognitive processing in
real-time speech production, studying them is essential to psycholinguistics. These mistakes
demonstrate how speakers arrange their ideas, find words, and modify their delivery when
they run across problems. Linguists, educators, and communication professionals can better
grasp speech structure and breakdown points thanks to the information gathered from these
investigations.

The importance of speech faults and disfluencies in psycholinguistic research will be


examined in this essay, along with how they represent the phases of speech preparation and
delivery and their implications for efficient communication techniques in multilingual
settings such as Malaysia. We can create more effective strategies to enhance language
acquisition and communication effectiveness by comprehending these processes.

II. Significance of Speech Errors and Disfluencies in


Psycholinguistic Research (500-600 words) – Weight: 1.25
 Why psycholinguists study speech errors:
o Show how errors reveal cognitive processes (e.g., how the brain selects words,
structures sentences).
o Discuss Levelt’s Model of Speech Production (Conceptualization →
Formulation → Articulation).

Speech mistakes and disfluencies are studied by psycholinguists because they shed light on
**how the brain processes language in real time**. These blunders provide a window into
cognitive processes by illuminating the way speakers choose words, construct sentences, and
fix errors. This process is broken down into three steps by **Levelt's (1989) Model of Speech
Production**: **conceptualisation**, which involves the formation of ideas;
**formulation**, which involves the selection of words and grammatical structures; and
**articulation**, which involves the actual production of speech. **Hesitations** show
cognitive burden during conceptualisation, whereas **spoonerisms** (e.g., *"teep a kable"*
instead of *"keep a table"*) signal interruptions in formulation. Researchers can improve
theories of speech production and language learning by better understanding **language
processing, fluency, and communication breakdowns** through the analysis of these
phenomena.
 Common speech errors and their meanings:
o Spoonerisms (*"bater flake" instead of "blater fake") → Shows phonological
processing.
o Misderivations (*"unpossible" instead of "impossible") → Reveals
morphological rules in the brain.
o Substitutions (*"dog" instead of "cat") → Indicates semantic networks in
memory.

Speech blunders reveal important information about the brain's processing of language. The
organisation of phonological units during speech production is shown via **spoonerisms**,
which happen when sounds inside words are switched, such as *"bater flake"* instead of
*"blater fake"*. The brain's internalised morphological principles and the use of affixes are
highlighted by **misderivations**, such as using *"unpossible"* instead of *"impossible"*.
The way words are kept in semantic memory is demonstrated by **Substitutions**, where a
speaker uses *"dog"* rather than *"cat"*. This demonstrates the relationships between related
concepts. These mistakes imply that the generation of speech requires processing at several
levels, ranging from **phonology and morphology to semantics**. Psycholinguists can learn
more about the structure, retrieval, and production of language in real-time conversation by
examining these patterns.

 Disfluencies and their significance:


o Hesitations ("Umm… I think… I mean…") → Suggests difficulty in lexical
retrieval.
o False starts ("I was… no, I mean, I planned to go") → Reflects self-
monitoring in speech.
o Repetitions ("I I I don’t know") → Shows cognitive load or uncertainty.

Speech pauses known as disfluencies reveal information on how the brain processes
information. **Hesitations**, like *"Umm… I think… I mean…"*, indicate a problem with
**lexical retrieval**, when the speaker does not know what term to use. **False starts**,
such as *"I was… no, I mean, I planned to go"*, show **self-monitoring**, where speakers
make constant revisions to their speech to make sure it is clear. **Cognitive load or
uncertainty** is frequently shown in **repetition**, such as *"I I I don't know"*, particularly
when speakers are digesting complex ideas. These disfluencies demonstrate that speech
production is a **continuous planning, retrieval, and correction** process rather than a
simple one. Psycholinguists can better understand **how language is organised and created
under different cognitive conditions** by examining these patterns.

 Connection to the given article:


o How POS errors in Malaysian job interviews demonstrate cognitive struggles
and language proficiency challenges.

Effective communication requires an understanding of **parts of speech (POS)**,


particularly in **high-stakes settings like job interviews** (Sundram et al., 2024). According
to the survey, **Malaysian recent graduates suffer from POS errors**, such as improper verb
tenses or noun usage, which **hinder professionalism and clarity**. These mistakes show
**cognitive struggles** in language structure processing, suggesting issues with **sentence
formation and lexical retrieval**. A candidate's ability to **express qualifications
effectively** may be weakened by **misunderstandings** resulting from improper use of
POS. This supports **psycholinguistic theories** by demonstrating that **speech faults and
disfluencies are not merely chance errors but rather reflect language proficiency and
cognitive processing**. Gaining an understanding of these trends helps **improve
professional communication training and language instruction**.

III. Speech Errors and Disfluencies as Indicators of


Speech Planning & Execution (500-600 words) – Weight:
1.25
 Stages of Speech Production (Levelt’s Model):
1. Conceptualization: Speaker generates ideas.
2. Formulation: Brain selects words and grammar.
3. Articulation: Speech is physically produced.

Three steps make up Levelt's (1989) **Model of Speech Production**, which describes how
speech is produced. The first step is called **conceptualisation**, during which the speaker
**forms an idea** of what they wish to communicate. This entails picking pertinent details
and mentally organising the message. The brain then **selects suitable words and applies
grammatical rules** to create a cohesive sentence during the **formulation** step. Errors
such as **misderivations** arise when morphology is treated wrongly. Lastly, in
**articulation**, the vocal tract's muscles move to **physically produce** the intended
speech. Any disruption, including **hesitations** or **substitutions**, suggests cognitive
difficulties in producing speech. Psycholinguists can better comprehend **how language is
processed and implemented in real time** by examining these steps.

 How speech errors occur at each stage:

1. Conceptualization failure: Choosing the wrong word (*"pass me the salt"


instead of "pass me the sugar").
2. Formulation errors: Grammatical mistakes due to incorrect sentence
planning ("She go to school yesterday").
3. Articulation errors: Mispronouncing words (*"parkar" instead of "partner").

Different phases of **Levelt's Model of Speech Production** can result in speech errors,
which show how language is processed. Due to semantic confusion, speakers may use the
incorrect term in **conceptualisation**, saying *"Pass me the salt"* rather than *"Pass me
the sugar"*. Misapplication of grammatical rules can result in **formulation errors**, such
as the use of *"She go to school yesterday"* rather than *"She went to school yesterday"*.
Words that are difficult to pronounce, such *"parkar"* instead of *"partner"*, might lead to
mistakes in **articulation**. These errors provide important insights into **cognitive
processes, speech planning, and fluency** in both native and second-language speakers,
highlighting **how the brain organises and retrieves language**.

 Disfluencies as self-repair mechanisms:

1. Speakers use pauses, hesitations, and repetitions to correct themselves.


2. Example: A speaker might pause before a difficult word to allow more
planning time.

Disfluencies are essential for **self-repair**, which enables speakers to fix errors and
enhance clarity. Speech preparation and word recall are facilitated by **pauses, hesitations,
and repetitions**. For example, a speaker may use **hesitation** to create time for
processing when they say, *"I was… uh… planning to visit my friend," Similarly, additional
preparation time is allowed when a pause is used before a complicated word, such as *"We
need to… reconsider our decision,"*. **Repetition**, like *"I, I, I think it’s a good idea,"*
can be a sign of uncertainty or cognitive overload. These self-repair systems demonstrate that
speech production is a **dynamic process** in which speakers continuously assess and
modify their language to preserve communication coherence and fluency.

 How bilingualism influences speech errors:

1. Example: Malaysian bilingual speakers might code-switch or borrow words


when struggling to find the correct term.

As demonstrated by Malaysian bilingual speakers who frequently code-switch or borrow


terms when they are having trouble finding the right term, bilingualism has a substantial
impact on speech problems. The co-activation of both languages in the brain is the cause of
this phenomenon, which raises the needs for monitoring and may cause conflicts when
speaking. For example, a speaker may use an L1 term like "chat" instead of the L2 word "cat"
due to a language selection error, or they may say "pass me the salt" instead of "pass me the
sugar" due to conceptualisation failure. Additionally, L2 speech grammatical faults, as "She
go to school yesterday," draw attention to formulation flaws.( Coulter, A. Phillips, 2022) These
mistakes offer important insights into the difficulties of maintaining several linguistic
systems and the cognitive processes involved in producing multilingual speech.

IV. Implications for Communication Competence and


Real-World Applications (400-500 words) – Weight: 1.0
 Why studying speech errors matters:
o Helps improve language teaching (e.g., ESL learners benefit from
recognizing their speech errors).
o Provides insights into bilingual speech processing (e.g., how speakers switch
between languages).
o Useful for AI speech recognition (e.g., how virtual assistants handle
disfluencies).

Speech error analysis is important for a number of reasons. First of all, it greatly facilitates
language instruction, especially for ESL students. Teachers can find prevalent faults and
modify their teaching strategies to more successfully address these problems by analysing
speech flaws. To enhance language proficiency, for example, identifying grammatical
mistakes or mispronunciations aids in creating focused activities and feedback.
Second, speech errors reveal important information about the processing of multilingual
speech. When speaking one language, bilinguals frequently code-switch or borrow terms
from the other, particularly when they are having trouble finding the right term. This
behaviour, called code-switching, can show how speakers manage and switch between
several linguistic systems and is a normal aspect of bilingual communication. The intricate
interaction between languages in the brain is demonstrated by the fact that multilingual
speakers from Malaysia may utilise English vocabulary in a Malay speech or vice versa.
Finally, the development of AI voice recognition systems benefits from an understanding of
speech defects. Errors and disfluencies in natural speech are common problems for virtual
assistants and other AI technology. Developers can increase the accuracy and resilience of
voice recognition models by examining these patterns. This is especially crucial when dealing
with disfluencies, which are prevalent in spontaneous speech and have a big impact on how
well AI systems work. Recent studies, for example, have demonstrated that adding disfluency
recognition skills to ASR models can improve their accuracy in interpreting and transcribing
natural speech.( Amann, Li, Bruno, Niehues,2024)

 Connection to job interviews (from the given article):


o How speech errors affect first impressions and professional
communication.
o Strategies to minimize errors in interviews (e.g., slowing down speech,
practicing frequently used phrases).

Speech mistakes have a big influence on professional communication and first impressions,
especially in high-pressure settings like job interviews. Even with great qualifications,
candidates who frequently make part-of-speech (POS) errors, hesitations, or
mispronunciations may come across as less confident or competent. Sundram et al. (2024)
claim that Malaysian recent graduates frequently experience POS errors during interviews,
which impairs their capacity for coherent idea expression. Furthermore, candidates use self-
rephrasing and clarifications to deal with language barriers, but interviewers may consider
excessive errors adversely, according to Awang et al. (2024).
Job seekers should speak more slowly to reduce mistakes and give themselves more time to
plan sentences and retrieve words. Fluency can also be improved and disfluencies can be
decreased by practicing common interview questions and phrases. Additionally, Ne'Matullah
et al. (2023) stress that having a great command of English improves employability since
employers value people who can communicate effectively and convincingly. On the other
hand, Salahuddin et al. (2023) discovered that graduates' unemployment and job mismatches
are influenced by communication issues. As a result, increasing speech accuracy is crucial for
career success, underscoring the significance of language instruction and strategic planning.
V. Conclusion (200-300 words) – Weight: 0.75
 Summary of key points:
o Speech errors and disfluencies provide deep insights into cognitive
processes.
o They reveal how the brain plans and produces speech.
o Understanding these phenomena helps improve communication strategies.

Disfluencies and speech faults are useful tools for comprehending the cognitive processes
involved in speech production. They provide insights into language processing and self-
monitoring mechanisms by illuminating the brain's word choice, sentence structure, and
speech articulation. Psycholinguists can gain a deeper understanding of the phases of
conceptualisation, formulation, and articulation in speech by examining mistakes like
spoonerisms, misderivations, and substitutes. Disfluencies like false beginnings, repetitions,
and hesitations also show how speakers control their lexical retrieval and self-healing.
Understanding these trends has applications in AI voice recognition, bilingual
communication, job interviews, and language instruction. In the end, researching speech
faults is an important field in linguistics and applied psycholinguistics since it advances our
knowledge of human cognition and successful communication techniques.

 Final Perspective:
o Studying speech errors is essential for psycholinguistics, language learning,
and AI development.
o Future research can explore cross-linguistic differences in speech errors.

**Psycholinguistics, language learning, and AI development** all depend on the study of


**speech mistakes and disfluencies**. These mistakes provide academics a better
understanding of **speech production and cognitive mechanisms** by revealing how the
brain interprets language. Recognising typical mistakes in **language learning** enables
teachers to create more successful lesson plans, particularly for **ESL learners and bilingual
speakers**. Research on speech errors also helps **AI speech recognition systems** better
manage **human disfluencies and natural language variations**. Future studies could
investigate **cross-linguistic differences**, looking at whether bilingual speakers face
particular difficulties and how **different languages influence error patterns**. We can
improve **communication techniques, language instruction, and technical developments in
speech processing** by carrying on with the analysis of speech faults.
VI. References (at least 3 sources, APA style) – Weight:
1.5

VII. Coherence and Language (Weight: 1.0)


 Ensure logical flow between sections.
 Maintain formal academic tone.
 Use clear, error-free English.

This outline ensures your essay fully meets the rubric criteria while maintaining a logical
and engaging structure. Would you like me to help draft any specific section? 😊

References

Rusiewicz, Heather. (1997). The Role of Prosodic Stress and Speech Perturbation on the Temporal
Synchronization of Speech and Deictic Gestures.

Sundram, P. G. P. H., Rangan, P., Sio Ching, H., Baskaran, S., Mohd. Jaya, S. S. and Krishnan, I. A.
(2024) “Analysing Part-of-Speech Errors in Job Interviews Among Malaysian Fresh Graduates in
Malaysia: Implications for Communication Competence”, Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and
Humanities (MJSSH), 9(3), p. e002776. doi: 10.47405/mjssh.v9i3.2776.

Kristina Coulter, Natalie A. Phillips,

Conflict-based speech error monitoring in bilinguals: Differences between first and second language
monitoring,Journal of Neurolinguistics,Volume 63,2022,101061,ISSN 0911-6044,

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroling.2022.101061.

(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0911604422000057)

AUGMENTING AUTOMATIC SPEECH RECOGNITION MODELS WITH DISFLUENCY DETECTION

Robin Amann, Zhaolin Li, Barbara Bruno, Jan Niehues (2024) Karlsruhe Institute of Technology,
Germany

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2409.10177v2
Awang, S., Wan Zakaria, W. N. F., Razak, S. S., Abdullah, N., & Wan Hassan, W. N. F.
(2024). Use of favourable and less favourable types of communication strategies in job
interviews: interviewers’ perspectives on candidates. International Journal of Law,
Government and Communication, 9(37), 428–442. https://doi.org/10.35631/ijlgc.937033

Ne’Matullah, K. F., PEK, L. S., & Roslan, S. A. (2023). Speaking English in job interviews
increases employability opportunities: Malaysian employer’s perspectives. International
Journal of Language, Literacy and Translation. https://doi.org/10.36777/ijollt2022.6.2.085

Salahuddin, N. F. M., Mahpar, N. S., & Ishak, M. F. (2023). The Relationship between
Employability Skill and Job Mismatch towards Graduates’ Unemployment. Information
Management and Business Review. https://doi.org/10.22610/imbr.v15i3(i).3519

Task 2

Step-by-Step Example for Task 2

Step 1: Select 8 Words

Choose words that might be confusing in isolation but clear in context. Here are 8 example
words:

1. Bat (can mean the animal or a sports bat)


2. Bank (a financial institution or the side of a river)
3. Light (not heavy or a source of illumination)
4. Match (a competition or a fire-starting tool)
5. Right (correct or the opposite of left)
6. Spring (a season or a coil)
7. Lead (to guide or a type of metal)
8. Date (a fruit or a romantic meeting)

Step 2: Prepare Audio Stimuli


Set A: Isolated Words (No Context)

Record each word alone, with a brief pause in between. Example:

 "Bat."
 "Bank."
 "Light."
 "Match."
Set B: Words in Context (Meaningful Sentences)

Record the same words but inside sentences that make the meaning clear. Example:

 "A bat flew across the night sky."


 "She deposited money in the bank yesterday."
 "Please turn on the light in the room."
 "This match will decide the champion."

Step 3: Conduct the Experiment

 Play Set A (isolated words) and ask participants to write down what they hear.
 Play Set B (sentences) and ask them to identify the target word in the sentence.
 Compare accuracy rates in both conditions.

Step 4: Sample Findings


Word Isolated Accuracy (%) Sentence Accuracy (%)

Bat 50% (some heard "bad") 100%

Bank 60% (some heard "bang") 100%

Light 70% (some heard "right") 100%

Match 40% (some heard "much") 100%

Right 50% (some heard "write") 100%

Spring 60% (some heard "sprint") 100%

Lead 30% (some confused with "lid") 100%

Date 50% (some confused with "debt") 100%

Step 5: Report Structure (400-500 Words)

1️⃣ Methodology (100 words)

 Selected 4 participants (2 native speakers, 2 non-native).


 Recorded 8 words both in isolation and in contextual sentences.
 Played both sets and asked participants to write what they heard.
 Measured accuracy differences between isolated and contextual words.

2️⃣ Observations (100 words)

 Higher accuracy in sentences (100%) compared to isolated words (30%-70%).


 Words with homophones or multiple meanings (e.g., "lead") had lower recognition in
isolation.
 Non-native speakers had more difficulty recognizing isolated words.

3️⃣ Analysis (Role of Context in Speech Perception) (150 words)

 Semantic context: Sentences clarified word meaning, reducing ambiguity. Example: "lead"
(guide vs. metal).
 Syntactic structure: Sentence structure helped predict the missing word. Example: "A bat
flew..." made "bat" clearer.
 Top-down processing: Participants used context clues to fill in unclear words.

4️⃣ Conclusion (50 words)

 Context significantly improves speech perception, especially for words with multiple
meanings or similar sounds.
 Findings support psycholinguistic theories that semantics and syntax aid word recognition.
 Real-world applications: Context helps in second-language learning and understanding
speech in noisy environments.

This structure ensures your report is clear, well-organized, and meets the rubric
requirements. Do you need help refining any part? 😊

Step 2: Prepare Audio Stimuli for All 8 Words

For each word, I will provide:

1. Isolated Word (without context)


2. Word in a Contextual Sentence

1. Bat

 Isolated Word: "Bat."


 Contextual Sentence: "A bat flew across the night sky."

2. Bank

 Isolated Word: "Bank."


 Contextual Sentence: "She deposited money in the bank yesterday."

3. Light

 Isolated Word: "Light."


 Contextual Sentence: "Please turn on the light in the room."
4. Match

 Isolated Word: "Match."


 Contextual Sentence: "This match will decide the champion."

5. Right

 Isolated Word: "Right."


 Contextual Sentence: "You got the right answer on the test!"

6. Spring

 Isolated Word: "Spring."


 Contextual Sentence: "Flowers bloom in the spring."

7. Lead

 Isolated Word: "Lead."


 Contextual Sentence: "The teacher asked the student to lead the discussion."

8. Date

 Isolated Word: "Date."


 Contextual Sentence: "They went on a date last night."

This will ensure a clear comparison between isolated and contextual word recognition. Do
you want more complex sentences, or are these good? 😊

Audio Stimuli Script

Audio Stimuli Script

This script is divided into two sections:


1️⃣ Set A: Isolated Words (Each word is spoken alone with a short pause)
2️⃣ Set B: Words in Context (Each word is embedded in a sentence)
Set A: Isolated Words (No Context)

(Speak each word clearly, with a 3-second pause between words.)

1. "Bat." (pause)
2. "Bank." (pause)
3. "Light." (pause)
4. "Match." (pause)
5. "Right." (pause)
6. "Spring." (pause)
7. "Lead." (pause)
8. "Date." (pause)

Set B: Words in Context (Meaningful Sentences)

(Speak each sentence naturally, with a 5-second pause between sentences.)

1. "A bat flew across the night sky." (pause)


2. "She deposited money in the bank yesterday." (pause)
3. "Please turn on the light in the room." (pause)
4. "This match will decide the champion." (pause)
5. "You got the right answer on the test!" (pause)
6. "Flowers bloom in the spring." (pause)
7. "The teacher asked the student to lead the discussion." (pause)
8. "They went on a date last night." (pause)

This script ensures clear pronunciation and enough time for participants to process each
word. 🎧

Would you like any modifications or additional instructions for the recording? 😊

Word Isolated Word accuracy Contextual sentence accuracy (%)


(%)
1. Bat 0 25
2. Bank 50 100
3. light 75 100
4. Match 75 75
5. Right 50 100
6. Spring 75 75
7. Lead 25 100
8. Date 100 75

Word bat some heard as bag

Word bank some heard as pank

Word light some heard as lite

Word match some heard as mach

Word right some heard as ract

Word Spring some heard as sprim

Word lead some heard as knee

Word date some heard as day

The Role of Context in Speech Perception

Introduction
Contextual cues are one of the many aspects that affect how speech is perceived. By
contrasting the accuracy of word identification under isolated and contextualised conditions,
this paper examines the effects of context on word recognition. The results shed light on how
syntax and semantics support voice perception.
Methodology
For the experiment, four people who learn English as a second language and had no known
hearing problems were chosen. Eight distinct words were read aloud in isolation in Set A of
the audio recordings, while the same words were incorporated into meaningful sentences in
Set B. After listening to Set A, participants were instructed to record the words they heard on
paper. They then recognised the target terms in the sentences after listening to Set B. Both
circumstances' accuracy rates were noted and contrasted.

Observations and Findings


Participants' word recognition accuracy rates in contextual and isolated settings differed.
Overall, it was found that Set A (Isolated Words) had poorer accuracy rates, with some words
being misheard because of unclear articulation or phonetic similarity. However, because
participants utilised surrounding words to deduce meaning and accurately identify the target
word, Set B (Contextual Sentences) had greater accuracy rates.

The accuracy rates for each word under both settings are shown in the following table:

Word Isolated Word accuracy Contextual sentence accuracy (%)


(%)
1. Bat 0 25
2. Bank 50 100
3. light 75 100
4. Match 75 75
5. Right 50 100
6. Spring 75 75
7. Lead 25 100
8. Date 100 75

Furthermore, a number of words were misheard in the solitary condition, highlighting how
challenging it is to recognise words without context. For instance, people mispronounced
"bat" as "bag," "bank" as "pank," "light" as "lite," "match" as "mach," "right" as "ract,"
"spring" as "sprim," "lead" as "knee," and "date" as "day."

Analysis: Context's Impact on Speech Perception


The findings demonstrate how important context is to speech perception. Due to semantic
cues—where the meaning of the surrounding words gave clues about the target word—
participants demonstrated increased accuracy when words were embedded in sentences.
Furthermore, participants were able to predict potential word choices by using syntactic
structure, which is dependent on the grammatical location of the word. Additionally,
participants' unconscious predictions of the missing information based on their linguistic
understanding were influenced by predictive processing. This is consistent with other
research that suggests speech perception involves cognitive as well as auditory, involving
top-down processing in which the brain uses context to clarify ambiguities or fill in gaps in
spoken data.

In conclusion
According to the results, context greatly improves speech perception by offering syntactic
and semantic clues that facilitate word recognition. Listeners use context to decipher
ambiguous or confusing speech in real-world communication. These revelations have
ramifications for voice recognition software, language acquisition, and enhancing
communication techniques in loud settings. Variations in context strength and their effects on
other demographic groups, such as non-native English speakers with different age , could be
the subject of future studies.

You might also like