The relationship between rhythm perception abilities and perceptual learning in syllable- versus stress-timed languages

This study examines the relationship between rhythm perception abilities and perceptual learning of speech in noise cross-linguistically, with native listeners of both English (stress-timed) and Spanish (syllable-timed). Forty native listeners of each language participated in a pre-test, training, and post-test perceptual learning paradigm using speech masked by white noise. All participants also completed the Musical Ear Test to assess rhythm perception discrimination abilities. Results showed no significant difference in rhythm perception between the two groups, suggesting that native language does not influence sensitivity to rhythm perception. Significant perceptual learning of speech in noise was observed for both English and Spanish listeners and to a similar degree. However, rhythm perception abilities strongly predicted perceptual learning for English listeners but not for Spanish listeners. This study provides evidence for cross-linguistic differences in how listeners utilize rhythmic cues in the perceptual learning of speech in noise and suggests that rhythmic cues play a greater role in perceptual learning for English where rhythmic variability is higher, compared to Spanish, in which perceptual learning may rely more on segmental information.