Discrimination of Arabic contrasts by American learners
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Keywords

discrimination of sound contrasts
Arabic consonant contrasts
perceptual assimilation model

How to Cite

Al Mahmoud, M. S. (2013). Discrimination of Arabic contrasts by American learners. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 3(2), 261–292. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2013.3.2.6

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Abstract

This article reports on second language perception of non-native contrasts. The study specifically tests the perceptual assimilation model (PAM) by examining American learners’ ability to discriminate Arabic contrasts. Twenty two native American speakers enrolled in a university level Arabic language program took part in a forced choice AXB discrimination task. Results of the study provide partial evidence for PAM. Only two-category contrasts followed straightforwardly from PAM; discrimination results of category-goodness difference and both uncategorizable contrasts yielded partial support, while results of uncategorized versus categorized contrast discrimination provided counter-evidence to PAM.
https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2013.3.2.6
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