Previous studies indicate differences in native and foreign speech processing (Lev-Ari, 2018), with mixed evidence for differences between dialectal and foreign accent processing (Adank, Evans, Stuart-Smith, & Scott, 2009; Floccia et al., 2006, 2009; Girard, Floccia, & Goslin, 2008). Two theories have been proposed: The Perceptual Distance Hypothesis suggests that dialectal accent processing is an attenuated version of foreign accent processing (Clarke & Garrett, 2004), while the Different Processes Hypothesis argues that foreign and dialectal accents are processed via distinct mechanisms (Floccia, Butler, Girard, & Goslin, 2009). A recent single-word ERP study suggested flexibility in these mechanisms (Thomas, Martin, & Caffarra, 2022). The present study deepens this investigation by investigating differences in native, dialectal, and foreign accent processing across frequency bands during extended speech. Electroencephalographic data was recorded from 30 participants who listened to dialogues of approximately six minutes spoken in native, dialectal and foreign accents. Power spectral density estimation (1-35 Hz) was performed. Linear mixed models were done in frequency windows of particular relevance to discourse processing. Frequency bands associated with phoneme [gamma], syllable [theta], and prosody [delta] were considered along with those of general cognitive mechanisms [alpha and beta]. Results show power differences in the Gamma frequency range. While in higher frequency ranges foreign accent processing is differentiated from power amplitudes of native and dialectal accent processing, in low frequencies we do not see any accent-related power amplitude modulations. This suggests that there may be a difference in phoneme processing for native accent types and foreign accent, while we speculate that top-down mechanisms during discourse processing may mitigate the effects observed with short units of speech.

Trisha Thomas

Clara D Martin

Sendy Caffarra

Brain and Language

跨学科期刊《大脑与语言》发表的文章阐明了语言、大脑和行为之间的复杂关系。该杂志涵盖了认知神经科学中的各种现代技术，包括功能和结构脑成像、电生理学、细胞和分子神经生物学、遗传学、基于损伤的方法和计算建模。所有文章必须与人类语言相关，并与其神经生物学和神经认知基础的理解相关。该期刊上发表的文章预计将具有重要的理论新颖性和/或实际意义，并使用心理学、语言学和神经科学的观点和方法以及大脑数据和大脑测量。

Brain and Language is an interdisciplinary journal that publishes research articles elucidating the complex relationships among language, the brain, and behavior. The journal covers a variety of modern techniques in cognitive neuroscience, including functional and structural brain imaging, electrophysiology, cellular and molecular neurobiology, genetics, lesion-based approaches, and computational modeling. All articles must be relevant to human language and closely related to the understanding of its neurobiological and neurocognitive foundations. The research published in this journal is expected to have significant theoretical novelty and/or practical relevance, employing perspectives and methods from psychology, linguistics, and neuroscience, along with brain data and measurements.

《Brain and Language》是一本跨学科的期刊，发表关于语言、大脑和行为之间复杂关系的研究文章。该期刊涵盖了认知神经科学中的多种现代技术，包括功能和结构脑成像、电生理学、细胞和分子神经生物学、遗传学、损伤基础的方法以及计算建模。所有发表的文章必须与人类语言相关，并与其神经生物学和神经认知基础的理解密切相关。期刊上发表的研究预计具有重要的理论创新性和/或实际意义，并采用心理学、语言学和神经科学的视角和方法，以及脑数据和脑测量。

Category	Quartile
心理学	2
心理学, 听力学与言语病理学	2
心理学, 语言学	2
心理学, 神经科学	3
心理学, 心理学实验	3

The impact of speaker accent on discourse processing: A frequency investigation

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Journal Info

Category	Quartile
PSYCHOLOGY, EXPERIMENTAL	2