Toward a new model for speech perception: the Universal Perceptual Model (UPM) of second language

Georgiou, Georgios P.

doi:10.1007/s10339-021-01017-6

Cited by 18 publications

(14 citation statements)

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“…Among the most important and widely used models are the Speech Learning Model (SLM) [ 26 ] and its revised version, SLMr [ 27 ], the Perceptual Assimilation Model (PAM) [ 28 ] and its extension PAM-L2 [ 29 ], and the Second Language Linguistic Perception model (L2LP) [ 30 ]. The Universal Perceptual Model of Second Language (UPM) [ 31 ] was recently developed to account for the perceptual difficulties of L2 learners. The model supports that there is a universal capacity for humans to learn non-native sounds across the lifespan.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The predictions of UPM have been investigated in two recent studies. Georgiou [ 31 ] found that the model could predict with success the discrimination accuracy of Italian contrasts by CG learners of Italian. In addition, Georgiou and colleagues [ 32 ] observed that UPM successfully predicted the discriminability of several L2 English contrasts by Greek monolingual and bidialectal speakers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Acquisition of /ɪ/–/iː/ Is Challenging: Perceptual and Production Evidence from Cypriot Greek Speakers of English

Georgiou

2022

Behavioral Sciences

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This study aims to investigate the perception and production of the English /ɪ/–/iː/ vowel contrast by Cypriot Greek speakers of English as a second language (L2). The participants completed a classification test in which they classified the L2 vowels in terms of their first language (L1) categories, a discrimination test in which they distinguished the members of the vowel contrast, and a production test in which they produced the target vowels. The results showed that they classified both L2 /ɪ/–/iː/ mostly in terms of L1 /i/, which denotes the formation of a completely overlapping contrast according to the theoretical framework of the Universal Perceptual Model (UPM), and that they could hardly distinguish the vowel pair. In addition, their productions deviated in most acoustic parameters from the corresponding productions of English controls. The findings suggest that /ɪ/–/iː/ may carry a universal marker of difficulty for speakers with L1s that do not possess this contrast. This distinction is difficult even for experienced L2 speakers probably because they had never been exposed to naturalistic L2 stimuli and they do not use the L2 that much in their daily life. Finally, the study verifies UPM’s predictions about the discriminability of the contrast and extends the model’s implications to speech production; when an L2 vowel contrast is perceived as completely overlapping, speakers activate a (near-) unified interlinguistic exemplar in their vowel space, which represents both L2 vowels.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Acquisition of /ɪ/–/iː/ Is Challenging: Perceptual and Production Evidence from Cypriot Greek Speakers of English

Georgiou

2022

Behavioral Sciences

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“…Testing this role using different sets of languages (including under-researched ones such as Cypriot Greek) will help us to better define the contribution of acoustic similarity to L2 speech perception and inform the theories which suggest a link between the acoustic distance between L1 and L2 vowels and the perception of the L2 vowels. Importantly, the predictions are based on methods (i.e., chance scores) employed by a new speech model, the Universal Perceptual Model (UPM), which, like other popular models, aims to account for the difficulties of L2 speakers in the discrimination of L2 sound contrasts (see Georgiou 2021aGeorgiou , 2022b. UPM argues that the degree of overlap between non-native phonetic categories defines their perception.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Classification of English vowels in terms of Cypriot Greek categories: The role of acoustic similarity between L1 and L2 sounds

Georgiou

2024

Can. J. Linguist.

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Previous evidence has suggested that acoustic similarity between first language (L1) and second language (L2) sounds is an accurate indicator of the speakers’ L2 classification patterns. This study investigates this assumption by examining how speakers of an under-researched language, namely Cypriot Greek, classify L2 English vowels in terms of their L1 categories. The experimental protocol relied on a perception and a production study. For the purpose of the production study, two linear discriminant analysis (LDA) models, one with both formants and duration (FD) and one with only formants (F) as input, were used to predict this classification; the models included data from both English and Cypriot Greek speakers. The perception study consisted of a classification task performed by adult Cypriot Greek advanced speakers of English who permanently resided in Cyprus. The results demonstrated that acoustic similarity was a relatively good predictor of speakers’ classification patterns as the majority of L2 vowels classified with the highest proportion were predicted with success by the LDA models. In addition, the F model was better than the FD model in predicting the full range of responses. This shows that duration features were less important than formant features for the prediction of L2 vowel classification.

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“…Several speech acquisition models have been formed to predict the difficulties of learners in perceiving and producing the L2 phones. A newly established speech model, the Universal Perceptual Model (UPM) was firstly introduced in Georgiou (2021b). This model has been developed to inform and update the current theory of L2 acquisition and to provide more precise predictions about the ability of learners to discriminate challenging L2 segmental contrasts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Classification of the Italian vowels in the Cypriot Greek phonetic categories (%). The parentheses show the GOF(Georgiou, 2021b).Bold represents above-chance responses > 20%, p < .05.…”

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The Universal Perceptual Model (UPM) of second language

Georgiou¹

2021

Proceedings of International Conference of Experimental Linguistics

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Several speech models have been developed to examine second language (L2) speech patterns, considering that the acquisition of L2 sounds is often challenging for most learners. The Universal Perceptual Model (UPM) is a newly introduced model which provides predictions about the discrimination of L2 phone contrasts. In this paper, the central tenets and current evidence about the model's predictions are briefly discussed, while some revisions are also proposed. UPM predicted with success the discrimination accuracy of nonnative phone contrasts, indicating that it can be a useful L2 speech model. Future research should investigate further the predictability of the model.

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Toward a new model for speech perception: the Universal Perceptual Model (UPM) of second language

Cited by 18 publications

References 40 publications

The Acquisition of /ɪ/–/iː/ Is Challenging: Perceptual and Production Evidence from Cypriot Greek Speakers of English

The Acquisition of /ɪ/–/iː/ Is Challenging: Perceptual and Production Evidence from Cypriot Greek Speakers of English

Classification of English vowels in terms of Cypriot Greek categories: The role of acoustic similarity between L1 and L2 sounds

The Universal Perceptual Model (UPM) of second language

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