What determines which sound features become prioritized as cues about sound category distinctions?
A) Cues are weighted differently depending on the context, variability, talker, and language.
B) The most salient features stay the same because the auditory system constrains perception.
C) All cues are on equal footing as important dimensions of speech sounds.
D) Voice-onset time is always prioritized over pitch because pitch has the additional functions of cuing speaker identity or prosody.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Research has shown that various factors such as context, variability, talker, and language can influence how different sound features are weighted as cues for categorizing speech sounds. Different languages and dialects may prioritize different sound features as more important depending on their linguistic structures and the phonemic inventory. Variability in talker voice and acoustic characteristics can also affect how certain features are prioritized. Finally, contextual information, such as the surrounding sounds or the listener's expectations, can also influence the weight given to different acoustic cues.

What Determines Which Sound Features Become Prioritized as Cues About