A preliminary observation on the effect of audio-visual speech perception in voiced cognates by Cypriot-Greek learners of English

Abstract

This study examines the use of audiovisual cues in the perception of sound contrasts which have a different phonemic status in the listeners’ L1 and L2. Voice-voiceless cognates differing in the distinctiveness of their visual gestures (/p/-/b/, /t/-/d/, and /k/-/g/) were presented to CG (Cypriot-Greek) learners of English in audio, visual, and audiovisual modalities. Overall identification rates were significantly higher audiovisually in the cases where the auditory and visual information matched (bimodal congruent condition) than in the audiovisual condition in which auditory and visual information did not match (bimodal incongruent condition) or in the audio or video alone condition for either contrast. The results point to the multisensory speech-specific mode of perception, which plays an important role in alleviating the majority of moderate-to-severe L2 difficulties. CG listeners’ success seems to depend upon the ability to relate what they see to what they hear.