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The Role of Predictability in Intonational Variability
1Ohio State University, USA.
Language and Speech
|March 23, 2017
Summary
Linguistic predictability influences speech production. Less predictable words, defined by utterance probability and semantic focus, are produced with higher fundamental frequency (F0), supporting inverse relationships in phonetic prominence.
Area of Science:
- Linguistics
- Phonetics
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Phonetic prominence in speech production is known to be affected by predictability.
- Highly predictable elements (words, syllables) exhibit less phonetic prominence (e.g., shorter duration, less peripheral vowels) than less predictable elements.
- This inverse relationship has been proposed as a general property of language.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between linguistic predictability and fundamental frequency (F0) production in American English.
- To determine if different measures of predictability yield consistent effects on F0.
- To provide empirical support for or against the generalization of inverse predictability in phonetic prominence.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of experimental corpora of American English speech.
- Quantification of predictability using three distinct measures: discourse mention, utterance probability, and semantic focus.
- Measurement and statistical analysis of fundamental frequency (F0) in relation to these predictability measures.
Main Results:
- Consistent effects of utterance probability and semantic focus on F0 were observed, with less predictable words exhibiting higher F0.
- No significant effect of discourse mention on F0 was found.
- Results indicate that phonetic prominence is inversely related to linguistic predictability, particularly for utterance probability and semantic focus.
Conclusions:
- Phonetic prominence, including F0, is inversely related to linguistic predictability, supporting a general principle of speech production.
- Different measures of predictability can yield divergent results, highlighting the impact of parameterization on experimental interpretation.
- It cannot be assumed that various predictability measures reflect the same underlying cognitive reality or consistently influence phonetic realization.
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