Training intraphonemic discrimination of /r/−/l/

Abstract

To assess the extent to which adults can discriminate intraphonemic differences in place-ofarticulation, we gave 4 subjects extensive training on a synthetic rock-lock series, using a same-different discrimination task. Transfer of training was evaluated using oddity discrimination tests of the training series and an acoustically dissimilar rake-lake series. Performance during training showed gradual improvement in intraphonemic perception, with asymptotic performance well below 100% accuracy. Oddity discrimination improved for the rock-lock stimuli, but not for the rake-lake series, suggesting that learning was specific to the acoustic parameters of the training stimuli. Distinctions between auditory, phonetic, and phonemic modes of speech perception are discussed.