Categorical perception of phonemes is very important to identify words across different speakers and accents.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Categorical perception refers to the ability of the brain to categorize speech sounds into distinct phonemes that are recognized as different, despite variations in the acoustic signal. This ability is crucial for efficient speech perception and recognition, especially in the context of different speakers, accents, and environments. For example, the perception of the phonemic contrast between /b/ and /p/ can determine the difference between words like "bat" and "pat", even if the individual acoustic cues vary due to speaker differences or noise.

Categorical Perception of Phonemes Is Very Important to Identify Words