EAPSI: Learning word representations containing foreign sounds may be easier when learning from multiple talkers

学习第二语言对于在当今全球化世界中进行互动至关重要。学习第二语言的大部分困难在于学习它的语音系统。不学习语音系统会导致不正确的单词表征，单词表征由更小的声音单位组成：例如，声音d，ah，g组成单词dog。了解什么可以使包含外国声音的单词更容易学习，对于开发更好的第二语言教学方法很重要。许多研究表明，听到多个说话者发出的单词有助于婴儿和幼儿发展更强大的单词表征。多个说话者也可以帮助第二语言学习者，他们同样对语言的声音系统缺乏经验。然而，第二语言学习者可能不会在所有情况下都受益于多个说话者。与台湾国立中正大学的Jane Tsay博士合作，该项目将探讨多个说话者对第二语言学习者有益的情况。中正大学心理语言学实验室的行为实验结果将揭示为什么多个说话者有助于形成一个强大的单词表征。它还将回答一个长期存在的问题：在多大程度上感知言语与产生言语有关？基于PI的研究，本研究假设，当感知新单词时，经验丰富的学习者不会从多个说话者中受益，而经验不足的学习者会。相反，据推测，即使是有经验的学习者将继续受益于多个说话者时，产生新的单词，虽然他们将停止受益时，感知新的单词。这样的结果表明，说话者使用不同的词表征来感知和产生单词。这个NSF EAPSI奖是与台湾国家科学理事会合作资助的。

Learning a second language is crucial to interacting in today's global world. Much of the difficulty in acquiring a second language is in learning its sound system. Failure to learn the sound system can lead to incorrect word representations, word representations being made up of smaller sound units: for example, the sounds d, ah, g make the word dog. Understanding what can make words containing foreign sounds easier to learn is important for developing better methods of teaching a second language. Many studies suggest that hearing words produced by multiple talkers helps infants and young children to develop more robust word representations. Multiple talkers may also help second language learners, who are likewise inexperienced with the language's sound system. However, second language learners may not benefit from multiple talkers in all circumstances. In collaboration with Dr. Jane Tsay at National Chung Chen University in Taiwan, this project will explore the circumstances in which multiple talkers are beneficial for second language learners. Results from a behavioral experiment at the Psycholinguistic Lab at Chung Cheng National University will shed light on the question of why multiple talkers are helpful for forming a robust word representation. It will also speak to the long-standing question: to what extent is perceiving speech related to producing speech? Based on the PI's previous studies, it is hypothesized that when perceiving new words, experienced learners will not benefit from multiple talkers, while inexperienced learners will. In contrast, it is hypothesized that even experienced learners will continue to benefit from multiple talkers when producing new words, although they will cease to benefit when perceiving new words. Such a result would suggest that speakers use different word representations for perceiving vs. producing words. This NSF EAPSI award is funded in collaboration with the National Science Council of Taiwan.