Perception of Non-Native English Clear Speech: Accentedness and Emotional Index

The present study investigated perceptual consequences of Korean-accented English clear speech, primarily focusing on its perceived accentedness and emotions. Either native English or Korean-accented English clear speech samples were rated by 64 native Korean-speaking listeners along these two dimensions. Acoustic analyses confirmed that both native and non-native clear speech were characterized by a decrease in speaking rate, heightened mean f0, and a wider f0 range. Clear speech led to Korean-accented English sounding more foreign-accented, while the effect was the opposite for native English. Listeners also consistently perceived clear speech as neutral regardless of its accentedness. The findings revealed that listeners' impressions of non-native clear speech can be multifaceted. Although it may exhibit stronger foreign-accentedness, its enhanced acoustic signals do not necessarily evoke the emotion of anger.