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Investigations on viseme groups in Welsh.
R Meredith1, S D Stephens, G E Jones
1Welsh Hearing Institute, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK.
Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics
|April 30, 2010
Summary
Welsh viseme groups resemble other European languages. Cluster analysis objectively grouped visemes, aiding speechreading training, with specific Welsh consonants like /x/ and /ł/ showing distinct patterns.
Area of Science:
- Linguistics
- Phonetics
- Audiology
Background:
- Visemes, visual speech units, are crucial for speechreading.
- Understanding viseme groups in diverse languages like Welsh is essential for improving auditory-visual communication.
- Previous research has established viseme groupings for many languages, but Welsh-specific data is less common.
Purpose of the Study:
- To objectively determine the viseme groups for the Welsh language.
- To compare Welsh viseme groups with those of other European languages.
- To explore the utility of cluster analysis in viseme grouping for speechreading training.
Main Methods:
- Cluster analysis was applied to viseme data from Welsh speakers.
- Acoustic and visual features of Welsh consonants, including unique sounds like /x/ and /ł/, were analyzed.
- Subject responses regarding phoneme perception were statistically analyzed.
Main Results:
- Welsh viseme groups show significant similarity to other European languages.
- The Welsh uvular fricative /x/ was grouped with velar and glottal consonants.
- /ł/ formed a distinct viseme group, separate from /1/, while /1/ and /r/ were indistinguishable.
- Maternal language influenced the perception of /r/ and /ł/.
Conclusions:
- Cluster analysis provides an objective method for viseme grouping.
- The findings offer valuable insights for developing Welsh-specific speechreading training materials.
- Understanding language-specific viseme variations can enhance communication for individuals with hearing impairments.
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