scholarly journals ACOUSTIC ANALYSIS OF PITCH ACCENT AS A REGIONAL FORENSIC MARKER IN SERBIAN

2021 ◽  
pp. 235
Author(s):  
Kristina Tomić
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Spontaneous Speech ◽  
Pitch Accent ◽  
Vowel Duration ◽  
Acoustic Correlates ◽  
Forensic Phonetics ◽  
Novi Sad ◽  
Frequency Ratios ◽  
Forensic Markers

The current research compares the acoustic correlates of pitch accent of two urban dialects of spoken Serbian, urban Niš and Novi Sad. We analyzed spontaneous speech of nineteen native speakers of Serbian with regard to vowel duration and fundamental frequency ratios. It was shown that the tone between the stressed and post-stressed vowel is generally falling in the speech of Niš, while in the speech of Novi Sad it reflects the tone of the expected pitch accent in that particular word. The same is true of the interval between the end of the stressed and the beginning of the post-stressed vowel, which is always rising in the speech of Niš. In Niš, speakers tend to produce vowels in words with falling accents as longer than in words with rising accents. On average, vowels are longer in the speech of Novi Sad. Bearing in mind that regional variations provide important forensic markers (Kašić and Đorđević 2009), this research aims to contribute to the discipline of forensic phonetics, in particular to speaker profiling. Its significance also lies in the fact that it examines spontaneous speech, and is thus relevant for forensic casework (Rose 2002; Nolan, de Jong, and McDougall 2006).

scholarly journals The acoustics of word-initial and word-internal voiced stops in Somali

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-38
Author(s):  
Sabrina Bendjaballah ◽  
David Le Gac
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Phonological Representation ◽  
Burst Duration ◽  
Acoustic Properties ◽  
Vowel Duration ◽  
Prosodic Word ◽  
Acoustic Correlates ◽  
Closure Duration ◽  
Production Experiment

This article seeks to determine the acoustic correlates of gemination in Standard Somali (Afroasiatic, Cushitic), in particular whether closure duration is the primary acoustic correlate distinguishing singleton and geminate stops, with immediate consequences for the analysis of word-initial strengthening. We provide an acoustic analysis of word-initial and word-internal voiced singletons as well as of their geminate counterparts on the basis of a production experiment conducted with four native speakers. Three temporal and four non-temporal acoustic properties of /b d ɡ/ and /bb dd ɡɡ/ are examined and systematically compared (closure duration, release burst duration, vowel duration; and closure amplitude, release amplitude, presence of a release burst, (de)voicing). We argue that the opposition between singleton and geminate voiced stops is primarily realized as the manner contrast approximant [β̞ ð̞ ɣ̞] vs. stop [b d ɡ]. Word-initially, Somali exhibits various peculiarities that are reminiscent of the cross-linguistically attested phenomenon of domain-initial strengthening. This article provides the first study of this phenomenon in Somali. We establish that word-initial /b d ɡ/ and word-medial /bb dd ɡɡ/ share the same closure duration, release burst duration, and vowel duration within the Prosodic Word. They also have a similar closure amplitude, and voicing properties. Moreover, the acoustic properties of word-initial /b d ɡ/ remain constant, and do not depend on their position in the prosodic hierarchy. On the basis of these results, the article also aims at providing new insights in the phonological representation of Somali geminates and word boundaries, and thus contributes to the understanding of word-initial strengthening in Somali.

scholarly journals The production of Norwegian tones by multilingual non-native speakers

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guri Bordal Steien ◽  
Wim A van Dommelen
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Dynamic Range ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Spontaneous Speech ◽  
Lexical Tone ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Tonal Patterns

Aim and objectives/purpose/research questions: The aim of this study is to examine the extent to which multilingual second language (L2) speakers of Norwegian manage to produce lexical pitch accents (L*H¯ or H*LH¯) as expected in natural spontaneous speech. Using native speech as a reference, we analyse realizations of multilingual speakers whose respective dominant languages are Lingala, a lexical tone language, and Swahili, a non-tonal language with fixed stress, and hypothesize that this difference might be reflected in the speakers’ competence in the East Norwegian tone system. Design/methodology/approach: We examined a corpus of spontaneous speech produced by eight L2 speakers and two native speakers of East Norwegian. Acoustic analysis was performed to collect fundamental frequency (f0) contours of 60 accentual phrases per speaker. Data and analysis: For LH and HLH tonal patterns, measuring points were defined for quantitative evaluation of f0 values. Relevant aspects investigated were (a) pattern consistency, (b) f0 dynamic range and (c) rate of f0 change. Pattern consistency data were statistically evaluated using chi-square testing. The dynamic range and rate of f0 change data were explored through to linear mixed effects models. Findings/conclusions: We found no really substantial differences between the speaker groups in the parameters we examined, neither between the L2 speakers and the Norwegian natives nor between the Lingala and Swahili speakers. Originality and significance/implications: This study is a contribution to the scarcely explored area of L2 acquisition of tones. It is concerned with languages that have received little or no attention in the field: Norwegian, Lingala and Swahili. Participants are multilinguals who have extensive language learning experience. Further, the study is based on a corpus of spontaneous speech.

scholarly journals The importance of word-final vowel duration for non-native portuguese speaker identification by means of Support Vector Machines

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 689-714
Author(s):  
Suzanne Franks ◽  
Rommel Barbosa
Keyword(s):  
Support Vector Machines ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Speaker Identification ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Vowel Duration ◽  
Acoustic Features ◽  
Acoustic Characteristics ◽  
Vector Machines

This article studies the acoustic characteristics of some oral vowels in tonic syllables of Brazilian Portuguese (BP) and which acoustic features are important for classifying native versus non-native speakers of BP. We recorded native and non-native speakers of BP for the purpose of the acoustic analysis of the vowels [a], [i], and [u] in tonic syllables. We analyzed the acoustic parameters of each segment using the Support Vector Machines algorithm to identify to which group, native or non-native, a new speaker belongs. When all of the variables were considered, a precision of 91% was obtained. The two most important acoustic cues to determine if a speaker is native or non-native were the durations of [i] and [u] in a word-final position. These findings can contribute to BP speaker identification as well as to the teaching of the pronunciation of Portuguese as a foreign language.

scholarly journals An Acoustic Analysis of Cantonese Lexical Tones by Chinese Youths in Seremban, Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chan Huey Jien
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
The Other ◽  
Vowel Duration ◽  
Chinese Community ◽  
Acoustic Characteristics ◽  
Lexical Tones ◽  
Monosyllabic Words ◽  
Malaysian Chinese

Cantonese is widely spoken among the Malaysian Chinese community. Cantonese speakers are not only native speakers, but also non-native speakers. One of the difficult parts of Cantonese learning is lexical tones. In view of this, this study provides an acoustic analysis of Cantonese lexical tones produced by Chinese youths in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. This study investigates the acoustic characteristics of Cantonese lexical tones by analysing the length features and pitch features of monosyllabic words. Six female speakers participated in this study. Three of them are native Cantonese speakers, while the other three are non-native Cantonese speakers. Data analysis was conducted by using Praat. In terms of length features, T2 and T6 are the shortest smooth tones, and T7 is the shortest checked tone. In terms of pitch features, T3 and T4 had greater changes compared to the previous study. All lexical tones produced by non-native speakers, with the exception of T2, are level tones. Moreover, in both groups, the vowel duration and pitch value of T2 are relatively the same as T6, and there is a trend of combination.

scholarly journals An acoustic analysis of Pahari oral vowels

2014 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 29-39
Author(s):  
Abdul Qadir Khan
Keyword(s):  
Spectral Analysis ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Vowel Duration ◽  
Short Vowels

Abstract The aim of the current study is to present an acoustic account of the twelve oral vowels of Pahari by analyzing their formant pattern (F1 and F2) and duration. T o achieve this aim, an experiment was conducted. T em native speakers of Pahari participated in the study and were given a list of 12 oral vowels in CVC context for recording, where V is the target vowel. T he recorded material was analyzed by using Praat software. T he spectral analysis (F1 and F2) show that Pahari has four close, six mid and two open vowels. T he results also show that in term of duration these vowels occur in the form of long-short pairs that differ significantly quantatively (vowel duration).The study further exhibits that the short vowels are centralized as compared to their long counterpart

scholarly journals Eine Kontrastive Phonetische Analyse Niederdeutscher Langvokale

2013 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marja Gackstatter ◽  
Oliver Niebuhr
Keyword(s):  
Regional Differences ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Wide Spectrum ◽  
Pitch Accent ◽  
Vowel Duration ◽  
Northern Germany ◽  
High Plateau ◽  
German Regions ◽  
Vowel Space ◽  
Auditory Analysis

Taking up anecdotal evidence, our general research aim is to investigate and to quantify the phonetic characteristics of Low German in different Northern German regions on the basis of detailed acoustic and auditory analyses. In the initial pilot study presented here, we focus on phonologically long vowels. The analyses are based on a sample of long-vowel tokens, which were produced by 18 Northern German speakers in spontaneous translations of the 'Wenker' sentences. The speakers had comparable dialectal competences, but came from different regions of Northern Germany, i. e. Schleswig, Holstein, Dithmarschen, Ostfriedland, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, or Nordbrandenburg. The selected vowel tokens occurred in contexts that were phonetically controlled in terms of both consonantal coarticulation and prosodic structure. The acoustic analysis included measuring durations, formant frequencies (F1-F3) and intonation characteristics (pitch-accent F0 patterns). The auditory analysis was made by narrow phonetic transcriptions. The results of the two analyses agree in showing clear regional differences. They concern the distributions of the long vowels within the vowel space (i.e. the vowel qualities, their stabilities and phonetic distances to each other) as well as the pitch-accent intonation patterns that co-occur with the long vowels. Differences in vowel duration were not found. Nordbrandenburg and Schleswig are characterized by a wide spectrum of monophthongal long-vowel qualities. In contrast, the long vowels in Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Ostfriesland show less diverse quality differences in the vowel centre. However, overall the phonetic diversity is still there in terms of diphthongizations that start or end at very different qualities. The long vowels of Dithmarschen combine the two characteristics, i.e. diphthongal qualities with relatively large differences in the vowel centre. As regards the intonation patterns across the vowels, we found that Dithmarschen and Holstein are both characterized by rising-falling pitch-accent peaks, but with different alignments relative to the vowel boundaries. The pitch-accent intonations of our speakers from Ostfriesland also rose and fell across the vowel. However, unlike in all other regions they additionally showed a striking F0 shape with a long high plateau in between the rising and falling movements. Our results are discussed with regard to the current claims about the dialectal organization of Northern Germany.

Enkele Resultaten Van Een Kontrastief Experimenteel Onderzoek Naar Uitspraakgedrag In De Vreemde Taal Voor Het Nederlands En Het Duits

1981 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 52-66
Author(s):  
Wim A. van Dommelen
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Best Approximation ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Vowel Duration ◽  
The Best Approximation ◽  
Onderzoek Naar ◽  
Point Of Departure

The point of departure for this investigation were some generally accepted impressionistic statements about durational differences in Dutch and German vowels. An acoustic analysis of utterances spoken by various groups of speakers was carried out. Differences between native speakers and second-language learners were manifest to a varying degree. Long training does not guarantee the best approximation to native performance. Furthermore it is apparent that current ideas about vowel duration in the two languages should be modified: the differences are not so great as generally thought. Phonological factors rather than specific durations are relevant. Unlike Dutch, German vowels are considerably longer before voiced than before voiceless medial consonants.

scholarly journals A Description of Tucumán Spanish Intonation in Argentina

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia Terán ◽  
Marta Ortega-Llebaria
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Sentence Type ◽  
Spontaneous Speech ◽  
Pitch Accent ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Phonetic Variation ◽  
First Time

AbstractThis paper documents for the first time the intonation system of Tucumán Spanish, an understudied variety of Argentinian Spanish. Semi-spontaneous speech illustrating the intonation of main sentence types, i.e. broad focus statements, partial and absolute interrogatives, and imperatives and vocatives, was elicited from 31 native speakers of Tucumán Spanish via an adapted version of the Argentinian Intonation Survey (Prieto and Roseano, 2009-2013). The two authors listened to the recordings and transcribed them using the Tones and Break Indexes conventions (ToBI) (Beckman et al. 2002, Prieto and Roseano 2010, Hualde and Prieto 2015). Transcriptions of prenuclear and nuclear configurations together with their respective frequencies allowed both an appreciation of the most used configurations within each sentence type along with detailed variation at the phonetic level. For example, yes/no questions were consistently realized with a low nuclear pitch accent L* and an ascending boundary tone. However, there was variation in the height of the boundary tones yielding the frequent contour L* ¡H%, and the less frequent L* H%. Altogether, these detailed patterns document the systematic phonetic variation of the intonation system of TS and provide a basis for future research to determine the phonological status of this variation.

Prosodic realizations of new, given, and corrective referents in the spontaneous speech of toddlers

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Jill C. THORSON ◽  
James L. MORGAN
Keyword(s):  
American English ◽  
Spontaneous Speech ◽  
Pitch Accent ◽  
Speech Task ◽  
Interactive Game ◽  
Acoustic Correlates ◽  
Information Status ◽  
Adults And Children

Abstract Our motivation was to examine how toddler (2;6) and adult speakers of American English prosodically realize information status categories. The aims were three-fold: 1) to analyze how adults phonologically make information status distinctions; 2) to examine how these same categories are signaled in toddlers’ spontaneous speech; and 3) to analyze the three primary acoustic correlates of prosody (F0, intensity, and duration). During a spontaneous speech task designed as an interactive game, a set of target nouns was elicited as one of three types (new, given, corrective). Results show that toddlers primarily used H* across information status categories, with secondary preferences for deaccenting given information and for using L+H* for corrective information. Only duration distinguished information status, and duration, average pitch, and intensity differentiated pitch accent types for both adults and children. Discussion includes how pitch accent selection and input play a role in guiding prosodic realizations of information status.

scholarly journals FORENSIC SPEAKER PROFILING FROM THE SAMPLE IN ЕNGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE – VOWEL DURATION ANALYSIS

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (49) ◽  
pp. 29-46
Author(s):  
Kristina Tomić ◽  
Katarina Milenković
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Vowel Duration ◽  
Criminal Cases ◽  
English Vowels ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Novi Sad ◽  
The Voice

Forensic speaker profiling is a procedure employed in criminal cases where there is a voice recording of the criminal, but there is no suspect. It encompasses determining the age, gender, origin or socio- economic status of the recorded speaker (Rose 2002; Kašić, Đorđević 2009a; Jessen 2010). One of the challenges of modern forensic phonetic science is speaker profiling from the voice sample in a foreign language. In the current research, we analyzed the vowel duration of five speakers from Novi Sad and five speakers from Niš, when they were speaking spontaneously in their mother tongue, Serbian, and in a foreign lan- guage, English. We compared the quantity of vowels of each group of speakers within-language and across languages. The acoustic analysis of vowels was performed manually in Praat (Boersma, Weenink 2018), by looking at the spectrogram and waveform of the recordings. To test the difference in means of two groups of data, we used the Welch t-test (Welch 1947). Our results show that urban speakers from Niš and Novi Sad do not exhibit statistically significant differences in the duration of their English vowels. However, certain duration relations that exist between vowels may be indicative of one’s native dialect.

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