This study investigates the role of the listener in the perception of non-native speakers and their speech. Our goal is to examine the impact of listener characteristics on their attitudes towards non-native speakers and their speech. In addition, we aim to explore the relationship between listeners’ attitudes and the intelligibility, comprehensibility and perceived foreign accentedness of non-native speech. 126 participants living in Flanders, Belgium, completed a questionnaire probing their attitudes towards non-native speakers of Dutch. An analysis of background variables of these listeners revealed that their age, educational level, extent of contact with non-native speakers and especially political preference could predict their responses to questionnaire items. In a subsequent session, participants performed (a) a speaker/speech evaluation task, (b) a transcription task measuring intelligibility, and (c) a comprehensibility and accentedness rating task. This latter session required participants to transcribe and evaluate speech samples of Dutch produced by speakers of Mandarin Chinese. We found a significant correlation between comprehensibility and accentedness and a number of attitudinal dimensions, such as the perceived status of, and solidarity with, the speaker. The study has implications for language testing, as it demonstrates the impact of listeners’ social attitudes on the assessment of non-native speech.

中文翻译：

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社会态度、可理解性和可理解性：听者在非母语语音感知中的作用

这项研究调查了听者在非母语人士及其言语的感知中的作用。我们的目标是检查听众特征对他们对非母语人士及其演讲的态度的影响。此外，我们旨在探讨听众的态度与非母语语音的可理解性、可理解性和感知的外国口音之间的关系。居住在比利时法兰德斯的 126 名参与者完成了一份调查问卷，调查他们对非荷兰语母语人士的态度。对这些听众的背景变量的分析表明，他们的年龄、教育水平、与非母语人士的接触程度，尤其是政治偏好可以预测他们对问卷项目的反应。在随后的会议中，参与者执行 (a) 演讲者/演讲评估任务，(b) 测量可懂度的转录任务，以及 (c) 可理解性和口音评级任务。后者要求参与者转录和评估由普通话使用者制作的荷兰语语音样本。我们发现可理解性和口音与许多态度维度之间存在显着相关性，例如说话者的感知状态和与说话者的团结。该研究对语言测试有影响，因为它证明了听众的社会态度对非母语语音评估的影响。后者要求参与者转录和评估由普通话使用者制作的荷兰语语音样本。我们发现可理解性和口音与许多态度维度之间存在显着相关性，例如说话者的感知状态和与说话者的团结。该研究对语言测试有影响，因为它证明了听众的社会态度对非母语语音评估的影响。后者要求参与者转录和评估由普通话使用者制作的荷兰语语音样本。我们发现可理解性和口音与许多态度维度之间存在显着相关性，例如说话者的感知状态和与说话者的团结。该研究对语言测试有影响，因为它证明了听众的社会态度对非母语语音评估的影响。