Asymmetry in French speech-in-noise perception: the effects of native dialect and cross-dialectal exposure

Abstract Research has shown that speakers’ native production patterns can change after living in adulthood in a region where a second dialect (D2) of their native language is spoken, yet relatively little is known about how speech perception changes after postadolescent D2 exposure. This study explores this topic by examining how varying degrees of exposure to Quebec French and Hexagonal French affect comprehension of speech in these dialects. A speech-in-noise perception experiment was conducted among mobile and nonmobile speakers of Quebec and Hexagonal French to test the competing effects of native dialect and D2 exposure on cross-dialectal speech perception. Results show an own-dialect advantage for all groups in their comprehension of speech in noise, though this advantage is smaller for the mobile groups, particularly for the mobile Hexagonal French listeners. An effect of D2 exposure on D2 perception is also revealed for the mobile Hexagonal listeners but not for the Québécois listeners, indicating an asymmetry in cross-dialectal perception. These findings suggest that, while phonological representations for the native dialect remain robust, processing of D2 speech can improve after extended, postadolescent exposure to this dialect. Furthermore, the extent of this adaptation may be modulated by mobile listeners’ prior experience with this dialect.