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Acoustic study in Mandarin-speaking children: developmental changes in vowel production
Chih-Chi Chen1, Keh-chung Lin, Ching-Yi Wu
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Chang Gung Medical Journal
|December 23, 2008
Summary
Acoustic analysis reveals developmental and gender differences in Mandarin-speaking children's vowel production. Specifically, the first formant (F1) of the vowel /i/ changes with age and gender, offering insights for speech disorder assessments.
Area of Science:
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Acoustic Phonetics
- Child Development
Background:
- Acoustic analysis is established in evaluating and managing pediatric speech disorders.
- Understanding developmental changes in vowel production is crucial for accurate clinical assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate developmental changes in vowel production among Mandarin-speaking children using acoustic analysis.
- To identify age and gender influences on key acoustic parameters of vowel sounds.
Main Methods:
- Acoustic analysis of recorded speech samples from 22 Mandarin-speaking children aged 5-12 years.
- Measurement of first and second formant frequencies (F1, F2) for vowels /a/, /i/, /u/, and calculation of vowel space.
- Statistical analysis using Wilcoxon rank sum test and Spearman's rho correlation test.
Main Results:
- The first formant (F1) of the vowel /i/ was significantly lower in boys than in girls (p=0.013).
- F1 values for the vowel /i/ showed a significant negative correlation with age (rho=-0.601, p=0.003) and a positive correlation with body height (rho=0.478, p=0.045).
- No significant associations were found between age or gender and F1 for vowels /u/ and /a/, F2 for all vowels, or vowel space.
Conclusions:
- First formant (F1) acoustic parameters exhibit developmental and gender-related variations in Mandarin-speaking children's vowel production.
- Findings provide valuable reference data for the acoustic assessment of speech development in this population.
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