Homophony and morphology: The acoustics of word-final S in English

2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 181-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
INGO PLAG ◽  
JULIA HOMANN ◽  
GERO KUNTER
Keyword(s):  
Speech Production ◽  
Experimental Research ◽  
Conversational Speech ◽  
Morphological Theory ◽  
Lexical Phonology ◽  
Phonetic Realization

Recent research has shown that homophonous lexemes show systematic phonetic differences (e.g. Gahl 2008, Drager 2011), with important consequences for models of speech production such as Levelt et al. (1999). These findings also pose the question of whether similar differences hold for allegedly homophonous affixes (instead of free lexemes). Earlier experimental research found some evidence that morphemic and non-morphemic sounds may differ acoustically (Walsh & Parker 1983, Losiewicz 1992). This paper investigates this question by analyzing the phonetic realization of non-morphemic /s/ and /z/, and of six different English /s/ and /z/ morphemes (plural, genitive, genitive-plural and 3rd person singular, as well as cliticized forms ofhasandis). The analysis is based on more than 600 tokens extracted from conversational speech (Buckeye Corpus, Pitt et al. 2007). Two important results emerge. First, there are significant differences in acoustic duration between some morphemic /s/’s and /z/’s and non-morphemic /s/ and /z/, respectively. Second, there are significant differences in duration between some of the morphemes. These findings challenge standard assumptions in morphological theory, lexical phonology and models of speech production.

scholarly journals Paradigmatic enhancement of stem vowels in regular English inflected verb forms

Morphology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-199
Author(s):  
Fabian Tomaschek ◽  
Benjamin V. Tucker ◽  
Michael Ramscar ◽  
R. Harald Baayen
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Psychology ◽  
Speech Production ◽  
Lexical Processing ◽  
Mental Lexicon ◽  
Morphological Processing ◽  
Word Structure ◽  
Verb Forms ◽  
Growing Body ◽  
Complex Words ◽  
Phonetic Realization

AbstractMany theories of word structure in linguistics and morphological processing in cognitive psychology are grounded in a compositional perspective on the (mental) lexicon in which complex words are built up during speech production from sublexical elements such as morphemes, stems, and exponents. When combined with the hypothesis that storage in the lexicon is restricted to the irregular, the prediction follows that properties specific to regular inflected words cannot co-determine the phonetic realization of these inflected words. This study shows that the stem vowels of regular English inflected verb forms that are more frequent in their paradigm are produced with more enhanced articulatory gestures in the midsaggital plane, challenging compositional models of lexical processing. The effect of paradigmatic probability dovetails well with the Paradigmatic Enhancement Hypothesis and is consistent with a growing body of research indicating that the whole is more than its parts.

The Percentage of Consonants Correct (PCC) Metric

1997 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 708-722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence D. Shriberg ◽  
Diane Austin ◽  
Barbara A. Lewis ◽  
Jane L. McSweeny ◽  
David L. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Speech Production ◽  
Standard Error ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Conversational Speech ◽  
Speech Sample ◽  
Standard Error Of Measurement ◽  
Error Of Measurement

Research in normal and disordered phonology requires measures of speech production that are biolinguistically appropriate and psychometrically robust. Their conceptual and numeric properties must be well characterized, particularly because speech measures are increasingly appearing in large-scale epidemiologic, genetic, and other descriptive-explanatory database studies. This work provides a rationale for extensions to an articulation competence metric titled the Percentage of Consonants Correct (PCC; Shriberg & Kwiatkowski, 1982; Shriberg, Kwiatkowski, Best, Hengst, & Terselic-Weber, 1986), which is computed from a 5- to 10-minute conversational speech sample. Reliability and standard error of measurement estimates are provided for 9 of a set of 10 speech metrics, including the PCC. Discussion includes rationale for selecting one or more of the 10 metrics for specific clinical and research needs.

scholarly journals Experimental Verification of General Validity of Non-force Interaction Formula

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iurii Teslia
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Speech Production ◽  
Experimental Research ◽  
Computer Experiments ◽  
Material Objects ◽  
Probabilistic Interpretation ◽  
Interaction Theory ◽  
Force Interaction ◽  
General Validity ◽  
Mechanical Movement

Abstract In the present work, the physical and mathematical principles of the non-force interaction theory are presented. It is shown that in the basis of this theory there are computer experiments within which there was simulated movement and interaction of material objects through the change of their hypothetical informational contents. The formulae of transformation of the hypothetical informational contents of material objects received from the information-probabilistic interpretation of mechanical movement were used in the experimental research to demonstrate that they also correspond to the processes of speech production in a human brain. The hypothesis, objective and tasks of the experimental research were defined. The methods and software tools were developed to conduct the experiments. To compare different results of the simulation of the processes in a human brain during speech production, there was a range of methods proposed to calculate the estimate of sequence of fragments of natural language texts including the methods based on linear approximation. The conducted experiments have proved that the formulae received from information-probabilistic interpretation of mechanical movement reflect the processes of speech production. It is shown that the offered approach can successfully be used to create systems of reactive artificial intelligence machines. Experimental and, presented in this work, practical results constitute that the non-force (informational) interaction formulae are generally valid.

scholarly journals The effect of nouns and verbs on pausing in spoken language

2020 ◽  
pp. 45-58
Author(s):  
Oleksandr Ishchenko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Speech Production ◽  
Spontaneous Speech ◽  
Spoken Language ◽  
Pause Duration ◽  
Conversational Speech ◽  
Parts Of Speech ◽  
Expressive Speech ◽  
Part Of Speech ◽  
Statistical Measures ◽  
Relative Standard

The study analyzes speech pauses of Ukrainian. The research material is the audio texts of spontaneous conversational speech of customarily pronunciation and intonation, as well as non-spontaneous (read) speech of clear pronunciation and expressive intonation. We show a robust tendency for high frequency of pauses after nouns. It suggests that pausing is like a predictor of nouns. The frequency of pausing after verbs is slightly lower. The probability of pause location after any another part of speech is much lower. Generally, pausing can be occurred after words of any grammatical category. These findings spread virtually equally to both spontaneous conversational speech and non-spontaneous speech (clear intonated reading). The effect of nouns on pause occurrence may be caused by universal property of the human language. It is recently accepted that nouns slow down speech across structurally and culturally diverse languages. This is because nouns load cognitive processes of the speech production planning more as compared with verbs and other parts. At the same time, some Ukrainian language features also impact the pausing after nouns (these features are characteristic of other Slavic languages too). This is about a prosodic phrasing of Ukrainian according to that interpausal utterances usually are finalized by nouns (rarely by verbs or other principal parts of speech) which get most semantic load. The pauses do not follow after each noun, because they can be exploited in the speech segmentation in depends on linguistic (linguistic structure of speech), physiological (individuality of speech production, breathing), and psycholingual factors. We suggest that the priming effect as a noun- and verb-inducted psycholingual factor can significantly impact pausing in spoken language. Statistical measures show the following: 430 ms ±60% is the average pause duration of non-spontaneous clear expressive speech, 355 ms ±50% is the average pause duration of spontaneous customarily speech. Thus, pauses of non-spontaneous speech have a longer duration than of spontaneous speech. This is indicated by both the average pause duration means (ms) and the relative standard deviation of pause durations (±%). Keywords: expressive speech, spontaneous speech, phonetics, prosody, speech pauses, pausing, prepausal words, nouns, verbs.

scholarly journals Normal Changes in the Speech of Older Adults: You've still got what it takes; it just takes a little longer!

2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Celia R. Hooper ◽  
Ann Cralidis
Keyword(s):  
Motor Control ◽  
Speech Production ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Motor Behavior ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Conversational Speech ◽  
Production Processes ◽  
And Function ◽  
Speech Motor

Abstract The authors reviewed the changes in speech production as a result of aging, including changes in structure and function as well as changes in motor control for speech. The following speech production processes in normal or typical aging were reviewed: breathing for speech, phonation, resonation, articulation, and fluency. Different theories of the role of motor control were reviewed, including more recent conclusions that cognition influences speech motor behavior throughout the lifespan. There are many speech changes in the communication of an older adult, but most are adaptive and do not affect good conversational speech.

scholarly journals Experimental Verification of General Validity of Non-force Interaction Formula

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iurii Teslia
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Speech Production ◽  
Experimental Research ◽  
Computer Experiments ◽  
Material Objects ◽  
Probabilistic Interpretation ◽  
Interaction Theory ◽  
Force Interaction ◽  
General Validity ◽  
Mechanical Movement

Abstract In the present work, the physical and mathematical principles of the non-force interaction theory are presented. It is shown that in the basis of this theory there are computer experiments within which there was simulated movement and interaction of material objects through the change of their hypothetical informational contents. The formulae of transformation of the hypothetical informational contents of material objects received from the information-probabilistic interpretation of mechanical movement were used in the experimental research to demonstrate that they also correspond to the processes of speech production in a human brain. The hypothesis, objective and tasks of the experimental research were defined. The methods and software tools were developed to conduct the experiments. To compare different results of the simulation of the processes in a human brain during speech production, there was a range of methods proposed to calculate the estimate of sequence of fragments of natural language texts including the methods based on linear approximation. The conducted experiments have proved that the formulae received from information-probabilistic interpretation of mechanical movement reflect the processes of speech production. It is shown that the offered approach can successfully be used to create systems of reactive artificial intelligence machines. Experimental and, presented in this work, practical results constitute that the non-force (informational) interaction formulae are generally valid.

scholarly journals Lesion correlates of conversational speech production deficits

2007 ◽  
Vol 45 (11) ◽  
pp. 2525-2533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arielle Borovsky ◽  
Ayse Pinar Saygin ◽  
Elizabeth Bates ◽  
Nina Dronkers
Keyword(s):  
Speech Production ◽  
Conversational Speech

Dynamics of the Chest Wall during Speech Production: Function of the Thorax, Rib Cage, Diaphragm, and Abdomen

1976 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 297-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Hixon ◽  
Jere Mead ◽  
Michael D. Goldman
Keyword(s):  
Speech Production ◽  
Chest Wall ◽  
Relative Motion ◽  
Supine Position ◽  
Vital Capacity ◽  
Body Position ◽  
Normal Subjects ◽  
Conversational Speech ◽  
Rib Cage ◽  
Graphic Solution

Anteroposterior diameters of the rib cage and abdomen and esophageal and gastric pressures were measured in normal subjects in upright and supine body positions during respiratory maneuvers and utterance tasks. Data were charted in relative motion diagrams and various motion-pressure diagrams which enabled graphic solution for muscular pressures exerted by the chest wall and individually by the thorax, rib cage, diaphragm, and abdomen during utterances. Behaviors of the chest wall and its parts were found to depend upon lung volume, utterance loudness, body position, and utterance task. For utterances encompassing most of the vital capacity, chest wall effort was at first net inspiratory and later net expiratory. The former was governed predominately by the rib cage and the abdomen in the upright body position and by the diaphragm in the supine position. For conversational speech, chest wall effort was continuously expiratory, control being vested in the rib cage and the abdomen in the upright body position and typically in the rib cage alone in the supine position. Mechanisms operating during the utterances are discussed, particularly those involved with conversational speech production. We conclude that the abdomen occupies an especially important role in running conversational speech in that it mechanically tunes the diaphragm to increase the latter’s inspiratory efficiency and thus enables man to minimally interrupt his ongoing speech for needed inspiratory pauses. We also discuss the relevance of our findings to clinical endeavors.

The Need for a Broad-Based Model of Phonological Disorders

1992 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan G. Kamhi
Keyword(s):  
Speech Production ◽  
Phonological Disorders ◽  
Production Processes ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Speech Delays ◽  
Explanatory Adequacy ◽  
State Of Affairs ◽  
Assessment Procedures ◽  
Treatment Procedures

My response to Fey’s article (1985; reprinted 1992, this issue) focuses on the confusion caused by the application of simplistic phonological definitions and models to the assessment and treatment of children with speech delays. In addition to having no explanatory adequacy, such definitions/models lead either to assessment and treatment procedures that are similarly focused or to procedures that have no clear logical ties to the models with which they supposedly are linked. Narrowly focused models and definitions also usually include no mention of speech production processes. Bemoaning this state of affairs, I attempt to show why it is important for clinicians to embrace broad-based models of phonological disorders that have some explanatory value. Such models are consistent with assessment procedures that are comprehensive in nature and treatment procedures that focus on linguistic, as well as motoric, aspects of speech.

Reliability of Clinician Judgments of Severity of Phonological Impairment

1995 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 39-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan K. Rafaat ◽  
Susan Rvachew ◽  
Rebecca S. C. Russell
Keyword(s):  
Conversational Speech ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
Age Appropriate ◽  
Citation Form ◽  
Phonological Abilities ◽  
Preschool Aged Children

Pairs of speech-language pathologists independently rated severity of phonological impairment for 45 preschoolers, aged 30 to 65 months. Children were rated along a continuum from normal to profound. In addition to judging overall severity of impairment, the clinicians provided separate ratings based on citation form and conversational samples. A judgment of intelligibility of conversational speech was also required. Results indicated that interclinician reliability was adequate (80% agreement) for older preschool-aged children (4-1/2 years and above) but that judgments by speechlanguage pathologists were not sufficiently reliable for children under 3-1/2 years of age 40% agreement). Children judged to have age appropriate phonological abilities were not clearly distinguishable from children judged to have a mild delay. Educating speech-language pathologists regarding the normative phonological data that are available with respect to young preschoolers, and ensuring that such data are readily accessible for assessment purposes, is required.

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