Speech perception in noise: Masking and unmasking

Speech perception is essential for daily communication. Background noise or concurrent talkers, on the other hand, can make it challenging for listeners to track the target speech (i.e., cocktail party problem). The present study reviews and compares existing findings on speech perception and unmasking in cocktail party listening environments in English and Mandarin Chinese. The review starts with an introduction section followed by related concepts of auditory masking. The next two sections review factors that release speech perception from masking in English and Mandarin Chinese, respectively. The last section presents an overall summary of the findings with comparisons between the two languages. Future research directions with respect to the difference in literature on the reviewed topic between the two languages are also discussed. (c) 2020 PLA General Hospital Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. Production and hosting by Elsevier (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

Automated summary

Speech perception is crucial for daily communication, but can be challenging in the presence of background noise or multiple talkers. This study reviews and compares existing findings on speech perception and unmasking in cocktail party listening environments in English and Mandarin Chinese, identifying factors and differences that release speech perception from masking in the two languages. Future research directions include further exploring the literature differences between the two languages on the reviewed topic.