Acoustic correlates of lexical stress in Uyghur

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahire Yakup ◽  
Joan A. Sereno
Keyword(s):  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Pitch Accent ◽  
Lexical Stress ◽  
Acoustic Cues ◽  
Acoustic Parameters ◽  
Acoustic Correlates ◽  
Minimal Pairs ◽  
Stress Patterns

The present study examined lexical stress patterns in Uyghur, a Turkic language. The main goal of this research was to isolate and determine which acoustic parameters provide cues to stress in Uyghur. A number of studies have investigated the phonetic correlates of lexical stress across the world's languages, with stressed syllables often longer in duration, higher in pitch, and greater in amplitude. The present study systematically investigated the acoustic cues to stress in Uyghur, examining duration, fundamental frequency, and amplitude. Three experiments were conducted: one utilizing minimal pairs in Uyghur, one examining disyllabic nouns in Uyghur that contrasted in the first syllable, and one investigating the interaction of lexical stress with Uyghur sentence intonation. The data consistently show that duration was a robust cue to stress in Uyghur, with less consistent effects for intensity. The data also clearly show that fundamental frequency was not a cue to lexical stress in Uyghur. Uyghur does not use the fundamental frequency to distinguish stressed from unstressed syllables. The results suggest that Uyghur does not pattern like a pitch-accent language (e.g. Turkish), but rather like a stress-accent language.

scholarly journals Acoustic correlates of lexical stress in Moroccan Arabic

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Anna Bruggeman ◽  
Nabila Louriz ◽  
Rana Almbark ◽  
Sam Hellmuth
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Stress ◽  
Stress System ◽  
Vowel Quality ◽  
Acoustic Parameters ◽  
Syllable Weight ◽  
Centre Of Gravity ◽  
Acoustic Correlates ◽  
Moroccan Arabic ◽  
Target Words

Presently there is no consensus regarding the interpretation and analysis of the stress system of Moroccan Arabic. This paper tests whether the acoustic realisation of syllables support one widely adopted interpretation of lexical stress, according to which stress is either penultimate or final depending on syllable weight. The experiment reports on word-initial syllables that differ in presumed stress status. Target words were embedded in a carrier sentence within a scripted mock dialogue to ensure that the measurements reflect lexical stress rather than phrase-level prominence. Results from all four acoustic parameters tested (f0, duration, Centre of Gravity and vowel quality) showed that there were no differences as a function of presumed stress status, thus failing to support an interpretation according to which stressed syllables are acoustically differentiated. We consider the results in relation to previous claims and observations, and conclude that the absence of acoustic correlates of presumed stress is compatible with the view that Moroccan Arabic lacks lexical stress.

scholarly journals The perception of lexical stress in words within a sentence

Loquens ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 033 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joaquim Llisterri ◽  
María J. Machuca ◽  
Antonio Ríos ◽  
Sandra Schwab
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Stress Pattern ◽  
Lexical Stress ◽  
Acoustic Parameters ◽  
Word Level ◽  
The Relationship

The acoustic and perceptual correlates of stress in Spanish have been usually studied at the word level, but few investigations have considered them in a wider context. The aim of the present work is to assess the role of fundamental frequency, duration and amplitude in the perception of lexical stress in Spanish when the word is part of a sentence. An experiment has been carried out in which the participants (39 listeners, 20 from Costa Rica and 19 from Spain) had to identify the position of the lexical stress in words presented in isolation and in the same words embedded in sentences. The stimuli in which the position of the stress was not correctly identified have been acoustically analysed to determine the cause of identification errors. Results suggest that the perception of lexical stress in words within a sentence depends on the stress pattern and on the relationship between the values of the acoustic parameters responsible for the prominence of the stressed vowel and those corresponding to the adjacent unstressed vowels.

scholarly journals Acoustic Correlates of Word Stress as a Cue to Accent Strength

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Volín ◽  
Lenka Weingartová
Keyword(s):  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
English Word ◽  
Linguistic Knowledge ◽  
Foreign Accent ◽  
Acoustic Cues ◽  
Spectral Slope ◽  
Word Stress ◽  
Acoustic Correlates ◽  
The Difference

Due to the clear interference of their mother tongue prosody, many Czech learners produce their English with a conspicuous foreign accent. The goal of the present study is to investigate the acoustic cues that differentiate stressed and unstressed syllabic nuclei and identify individual details concerning their contribution to the specific sound of Czech English. Speech production of sixteen female non-professional Czech and British speakers was analysed with the sounds segmented on a word and phone level and with both canonical and actual stress positions manually marked. Prior to analyses the strength of the foreign accent was assessed in a perception test. Subsequently, stressed and unstressed vowels were measured with respect to their duration, amplitude, fundamental frequency and spectral slope. Our results show that, in general, Czech speakers use much less acoustic marking of stress than the British subjects. The difference is most prominent in the domains of fundamental frequency and amplitude. The Czech speakers also deviate from the canonical placement of stress, shifting it frequently to the first syllable. On the other hand, they seem to approximate the needed durational difference quite successfully. These outcomes support the concept of language interference since they correspond with the existing linguistic knowledge about Czech and English word stress. The study adds specific details concerning the extent of this interference in four acoustic dimensions.

Acoustic Correlates of Pathologic Voice Types

1991 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 509-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia Wolfe ◽  
Richard Cornell ◽  
Chester Palmer
Keyword(s):  
Discriminant Analysis ◽  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Acoustic Parameters ◽  
Acoustic Correlates ◽  
Natural Logarithm ◽  
Difference Factor ◽  
Harmonic Noise

Listeners classified 49 samples of vowels /a/ and /i/ on the basis of four voice types: hoarse, breathy, strained, and normal. The vowels were analyzed acoustically for mean harmonic/noise differences in four spectral regions, average fundamental frequency, natural logarithm of fundamental frequency, and jitter. Discriminant analysis showed that classifications of voice type were made with 80% accuracy using three acoustic parameters: (a) mean harmonic/noise difference factor (1–3.5 kHz), (b) natural log of fundamental frequency, and (c) vowel type. The significance of these particular acoustic parameters for the perception and classification of voice types is discussed.

“Do I Sound Straight?”: Acoustic Correlates of Actual and Perceived Sexual Orientation and Masculinity/Femininity in Men's Speech

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (7) ◽  
pp. 1560-1578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven Kachel ◽  
Adrian P. Simpson ◽  
Melanie C. Steffens
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Spontaneous Speech ◽  
Acoustic Parameters ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Implicit Stereotypes ◽  
Acoustic Correlates ◽  
Implicit And Explicit

Purpose This study aims to give an integrative answer on which speech stereotypes exist toward German gay and straight men, whether and how acoustic correlates of actual and perceived sexual orientation are connected, and how this relates to masculinity/femininity. Hence, it tests speech stereotype accuracy in the context of sexual orientation. Method Twenty-five gay and 26 straight German speakers provided data for a fine-grained psychological self-assessment (e.g., masculinity/femininity) and explicit speech stereotypes. They were recorded for an extensive set of read and spontaneous speech samples using microphones and nasometry. Recordings were analyzed for a variety of acoustic parameters (e.g., fundamental frequency and nasalance). Seventy-four listeners categorized speakers as gay or straight on the basis of the same sentence. Results Most relevant explicitly expressed speech stereotypes encompass voice pitch, nasality, chromaticity, and smoothness. Demonstrating implicit stereotypes, speakers were perceived as sounding straighter, the lower their median f0, center of gravity in /s/, and mean F2. However, based on actual sexual orientation, straight men only showed lower mean F1 than gay men. Additionally, we found evidence that actual masculinity/femininity and the degree of sexual orientation were reflected in gay and straight men's speech. Conclusion Implicit and explicit speech stereotypes about gay and straight men do not contain a kernel of truth, and differences within groups are more important than differences between them. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.6484001

THE IMPACT OF RECASTS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRIMARY STRESS IN A SYNCHRONOUS COMPUTER-MEDIATED ENVIRONMENT

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Özgür Parlak ◽  
Nicole Ziegler
Keyword(s):  
Information Exchange ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Lexical Stress ◽  
Phonological Development ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Primary Stress ◽  
Acoustic Correlates ◽  
Sentence Reading ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
The Impact

Although previous research has demonstrated the efficacy of recasts on second language (L2) morphology and lexis (e.g., Li, 2010; Mackey & Goo, 2007), few studies have examined their effect on learners’ phonological development (although see Saito, 2015; Saito & Lyster, 2012). The current study investigates the impact of recasts on the development of lexical stress, defined as the placement of emphasis on a particular syllable within a word by making it louder and longer, in oral synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) and face-to-face (FTF) interaction. Using a pretest-posttest design, intermediate learners of English were randomly assigned to one of four groups: FTF recast, SCMC recast, FTF control, or SCMC control. Pre- and posttests consisted of sentence-reading and information-exchange tasks, while the treatment was an interactive role-play task. Syllable duration, intensity, and pitch were used to analyze learners’ development of stress placement. The statistical analyses of the acoustic correlates did not yield significant differences. However, the observed patterns suggest that there is need for further investigation to understand the relationship between recasts and development of lexical stress.

scholarly journals Initial laryngeal neutralisation in Tyrolean

Phonology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Vietti ◽  
Birgit Alber ◽  
Barbara Vogt
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Initial Position ◽  
Final Position ◽  
Acoustic Cues ◽  
Acoustic Parameters ◽  
Place Of Articulation ◽  
Closure Duration

In the Southern Bavarian variety of Tyrolean, laryngeal contrasts undergo a typologically interesting process of neutralisation in word-initial position. We undertake an acoustic analysis of Tyrolean stops in word-initial, word-medial intersonorant and word-final contexts, as well as in obstruent clusters, investigating the role of the acoustic parameters VOT, prevoicing, closure duration and F0 and H1–H2* on following vowels in implementing contrast, if any. Results show that stops contrast word-medially via [voice] (supported by the acoustic cues of closure duration and F0), and are neutralised completely in word-final position and in obstruent clusters. Word-initially, neutralisation is subject to inter- and intraspeaker variability, and is sensitive to place of articulation. Aspiration plays no role in implementing laryngeal contrasts in Tyrolean.

Where Is the Beat? The Neural Correlates of Lexical Stress and Rhythmical Well-formedness in Auditory Story Comprehension

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 1119-1131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katerina D. Kandylaki ◽  
Karen Henrich ◽  
Arne Nagels ◽  
Tilo Kircher ◽  
Ulrike Domahs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Pattern ◽  
Lexical Stress ◽  
Story Comprehension ◽  
Speech Comprehension ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Sensorimotor Network ◽  
Electrophysiological Studies ◽  
Stress Patterns ◽  
Domain Independent ◽  
The Brain

While listening to continuous speech, humans process beat information to correctly identify word boundaries. The beats of language are stress patterns that are created by combining lexical (word-specific) stress patterns and the rhythm of a specific language. Sometimes, the lexical stress pattern needs to be altered to obey the rhythm of the language. This study investigated the interplay of lexical stress patterns and rhythmical well-formedness in natural speech with fMRI. Previous electrophysiological studies on cases in which a regular lexical stress pattern may be altered to obtain rhythmical well-formedness showed that even subtle rhythmic deviations are detected by the brain if attention is directed toward prosody. Here, we present a new approach to this phenomenon by having participants listen to contextually rich stories in the absence of a task targeting the manipulation. For the interaction of lexical stress and rhythmical well-formedness, we found one suprathreshold cluster localized between the cerebellum and the brain stem. For the main effect of lexical stress, we found higher BOLD responses to the retained lexical stress pattern in the bilateral SMA, bilateral postcentral gyrus, bilateral middle fontal gyrus, bilateral inferior and right superior parietal lobule, and right precuneus. These results support the view that lexical stress is processed as part of a sensorimotor network of speech comprehension. Moreover, our results connect beat processing in language to domain-independent timing perception.

scholarly journals Acoustic cues to individuality in wild male adult African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana)

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e10736
Author(s):  
Kaja Wierucka ◽  
Michelle D. Henley ◽  
Hannah S. Mumby
Keyword(s):  
Communication Systems ◽  
Animal Communication ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Individual Recognition ◽  
Social Bonds ◽  
Loxodonta Africana ◽  
Mature Male ◽  
Acoustic Cues ◽  
Acoustic Parameters ◽  
Male Adult

The ability to recognize conspecifics plays a pivotal role in animal communication systems. It is especially important for establishing and maintaining associations among individuals of social, long-lived species, such as elephants. While research on female elephant sociality and communication is prevalent, until recently male elephants have been considered far less social than females. This resulted in a dearth of information about their communication and recognition abilities. With new knowledge about the intricacies of the male elephant social structure come questions regarding the communication basis that allows for social bonds to be established and maintained. By analyzing the acoustic parameters of social rumbles recorded over 1.5 years from wild, mature, male African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) we expand current knowledge about the information encoded within these vocalizations and their potential to facilitate individual recognition. We showed that social rumbles are individually distinct and stable over time and therefore provide an acoustic basis for individual recognition. Furthermore, our results revealed that different frequency parameters contribute to individual differences of these vocalizations.

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