title: Phonological variant recognition: representations and rules.
abstract: The current research explores the role of lexical representations and processing in the recognition of phonological variants. Two alternative approaches for variant recognition are considered: a representational approach that posits frequency-graded lexical representations for variant forms and inferential processes that mediate between the spoken variant and the lexical representation. In a lexical decision task (Experiment 1) and in a phoneme identification task (Experiment 2) using real words, low-frequency variants, but not high-frequency variants, show improved recognition rates following additional experience with the variants. This knowledge generalized to novel variant forms. Experiment 3 replicated these results using an artificial lexicon and showed that recognition of low-frequency variants was influenced by similarity to a high-frequency variant form. Similarity to a high-frequency variant alone, however, was insufficient to explain recognition of the infrequent variants (Experiments 4 and 5). The results support a hybrid account of variant recognition that relies on both multiple frequency-graded representations and inference processes.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pinnow
authors.forename: Cynthia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Connine
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008037:Linguistics; D046709:Pattern Recognition, Physiological; D010700:Phonetics; D011578:Psycholinguistics; D011930:Reaction Time; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D013060:Speech; D013067:Speech Perception; D014825:Vocabulary; D055815:Young Adult