A Multimethod Study of Speech Perception and Language Experience in Yucatec Maya–Spanish Bilinguals

This study examines speech perception, language use, and language ideology among university-educated Yucatec Maya–Spanish bilinguals in Yucatán, Mexico. Building on recent work, we conceptualize perception as gradient and shaped by linguistic experience. We adopt a multimethod approach integrating (a) Visual Analog Scaling (VAS) tasks assessing perception of tone (Maya), vowel duration (Maya), and voice onset time (VOT; Spanish); (b) egocentric social network measures of language use; and (c) qualitative analyses of language attitudes and identity. Results show systematic differences across continua: tone elicited more gradient responses, whereas duration and VOT showed more categorical patterns. Gradiency was significantly associated with language experience, including Maya dominance and the proportion of Maya-speaking interlocutors, while consistency remained stable. Qualitative findings indicate that participants view Maya as central to identity but navigate institutional pressures that privilege Spanish. These findings support a view of speech perception as shaped by socially structured linguistic experience.