The University of Hong Kong
School of Humanities
Department of Linguistics

Seminar Series

Language Experience and Second Language Speech Perception

By

Bin Li
City University of Hong Kong

7 December, 2011 (Wednesday) 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Place: Room 101, Lower Ground Floor, K. K. Leung Building

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Abstract

Human beings are language specific perceivers. Extensive research effort has been devoted on effects of our native language on the perception of consonants and vowels in a second language. Studies are relatively scarce, however, on how non-native suprasegmental features such as tones and stresses are perceived and learned. This talk will focus mainly on the relationship between one’s prior language experience and the perception of non-native suprasegmental features. Major theories in second language speech perception will also be discussed.

About the Speaker

Dr. LI Bin is Assistant Professor at Department of Chinese, Translation & Linguistics, City University of Hong Kong. Her research areas include second language speech learning, cross-language speech perception, and the interface between prosody and discourse.