Tapping into linguistic rhythm

Rhythmic properties of speech and language have been a matter long-standing debates, with both traditional production perception studies delivering controversial findings. The present study examines the possibility investigating linguistic rhythm using movement-based paradigms. Informed by theory methods sensorimotor synchronization, we developed two finger-tapping tasks (synchronization reproduction), tested them English participants. synchronization task required participants to tap along beat looped sentence while reproduction asked out perceived patterns after listening loop. results showed that engaged in period tracking beat-like structure stimuli, though did so greater extent. Patterns obtained tended converge toward participants’ spontaneous tapping rates degree regularization. Data collected displayed consistent anchoring taps vowel onsets. Overall, performance resembled many well-established findings metronome music. We conclude our setting paradigm—finger spoken phrases—is valid experimentation tool for studying language.