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Learning to Understand Speech in Babble Noise: The Role of Rhythm Perception in English and Spanish

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Title: Learning to Understand Speech in Babble Noise: The Role of Rhythm Perception in English and Spanish
Language: English
Authors: Katerina A. Tetzloff (ORCID 0000-0001-9064-195X), Sarah E. Yoho (ORCID 0000-0002-3850-8876), Stephanie A. Borrie (ORCID 0000-0002-2336-0071)
Source: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. 2026 69(4):1576-1583.
Availability: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 8
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) (DHHS/NIH)
Contract Number: R01DC020713
R01DC020930
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Speech, Acoustics, Language Rhythm, English, Spanish, Listening, Intelligibility
DOI: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00601
ISSN: 1092-4388
1558-9102
Abstract: Purpose: Perceptual learning--the ability to improve understanding of degraded speech with exposure--has been shown to occur across languages when speech is masked by stationary noise. However, it is unknown whether this holds for more complex maskers like babble noise, which introduces both energetic and informational masking. Compared to stationary noise, babble has greater rhythmic complexity, which may interfere with listeners' ability to use rhythmic cues for perceptual learning, particularly for stress-timed languages like English. In a previous study, rhythm perception predicted perceptual learning for English-speaking but not Spanish-speaking listeners, suggesting that the role of rhythm in perceptual learning may be language specific; whether this relationship remains in the presence of rhythmically complex babble remains an open question. Method: Native English-speaking and Spanish-speaking listeners (N = 77) completed a perceptual learning paradigm (pretest, training, posttest) with low-predictability phrases masked by four-talker babble noise, followed by a rhythm perception task. Results: Listeners in both groups showed significant perceptual learning, but Spanish-speaking listeners demonstrated greater intelligibility improvement. Rhythm perception did not predict learning in either group, suggesting that babble noise disrupts rhythm-based perceptual learning strategies. Conclusion: These findings highlight that perceptual learning in babble is influenced by language-specific rhythmic properties and that rhythm perception may play a reduced role in more complex masking conditions.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1505200
Database: ERIC
FullText Links:
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  Data: Learning to Understand Speech in Babble Noise: The Role of Rhythm Perception in English and Spanish
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Katerina+A%2E+Tetzloff%22">Katerina A. Tetzloff</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9064-195X">0000-0001-9064-195X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sarah+E%2E+Yoho%22">Sarah E. Yoho</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3850-8876">0000-0002-3850-8876</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stephanie+A%2E+Borrie%22">Stephanie A. Borrie</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2336-0071">0000-0002-2336-0071</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Speech%2C+Language%2C+and+Hearing+Research%22"><i>Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research</i></searchLink>. 2026 69(4):1576-1583.
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  Data: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) (DHHS/NIH)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech%22">Speech</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Acoustics%22">Acoustics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Rhythm%22">Language Rhythm</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English%22">English</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spanish%22">Spanish</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Listening%22">Listening</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intelligibility%22">Intelligibility</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00601
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  Data: 1092-4388<br />1558-9102
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: Perceptual learning--the ability to improve understanding of degraded speech with exposure--has been shown to occur across languages when speech is masked by stationary noise. However, it is unknown whether this holds for more complex maskers like babble noise, which introduces both energetic and informational masking. Compared to stationary noise, babble has greater rhythmic complexity, which may interfere with listeners' ability to use rhythmic cues for perceptual learning, particularly for stress-timed languages like English. In a previous study, rhythm perception predicted perceptual learning for English-speaking but not Spanish-speaking listeners, suggesting that the role of rhythm in perceptual learning may be language specific; whether this relationship remains in the presence of rhythmically complex babble remains an open question. Method: Native English-speaking and Spanish-speaking listeners (N = 77) completed a perceptual learning paradigm (pretest, training, posttest) with low-predictability phrases masked by four-talker babble noise, followed by a rhythm perception task. Results: Listeners in both groups showed significant perceptual learning, but Spanish-speaking listeners demonstrated greater intelligibility improvement. Rhythm perception did not predict learning in either group, suggesting that babble noise disrupts rhythm-based perceptual learning strategies. Conclusion: These findings highlight that perceptual learning in babble is influenced by language-specific rhythmic properties and that rhythm perception may play a reduced role in more complex masking conditions.
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      – SubjectFull: Acoustics
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      – SubjectFull: Language Rhythm
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