Related Experiment Videos
Functional segments in tongue movement
Maureen Stone1, Melissa A Epstein, Khalil Iskarous
1Vocal Tract Visualization Lab, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Maryland Dental School, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. mstone@umaryland.edu
Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics
|December 3, 2004
Summary
This study investigated tongue segment independence during speech production. Findings reveal that while some movements are constrained by biomechanics, others show independent control influenced by linguistic factors.
Area of Science:
- Speech Science
- Biomechanics
- Linguistics
Background:
- The tongue is a complex, deformable organ crucial for speech production.
- Understanding tongue segment coordination is key to deciphering speech articulation.
- Previous research has not fully elucidated the independent control of distinct tongue segments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the independence of five proposed functional tongue segments during speech.
- To differentiate between passive biomechanical constraints and active independent control of tongue segments.
- To investigate the influence of physiological and linguistic factors on tongue segment coordination.
Main Methods:
- Utilized ultrasound and tagged Cine-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Cine-MRI) across three studies.
- Analyzed correlations between movements of different tongue segments.
- Correlated movement patterns with specific phonemic content during speech tasks.
Main Results:
- Observed high correlations between adjacent tongue segments, suggesting physiological constraints.
- Detected negative correlations between distant segments, indicating coordinated opposing movements.
- Found that correlations between segments varied based on the phonemes being produced, pointing to linguistic influences.
Conclusions:
- Tongue segment coordination is influenced by both passive biomechanical limitations and active, independent control.
- Linguistic context plays a significant role in modulating tongue segment movements during speech.
- The findings support a model where distinct tongue segments can be controlled independently under certain conditions.