Temporal changes in word revisions by children and adults
D Paul-Brown1, G H Yeni-Komshian
1TRI-Services' National Institute of Dyslexia, Chevy Chase, MD.
Journal of Speech and Hearing Research
|December 1, 1988
Summary
When listeners miscomprehend, adults and children adjust speech timing, shortening vowels and lengthening consonants to clarify words. This speech revision maintains word length and linguistic distinctions.
Area of Science:
- Speech Production and Perception
- Developmental Linguistics
- Acoustic Phonetics
Background:
- Listener miscomprehension can trigger speech adjustments.
- Understanding how speakers modify speech timing for clarity is crucial for communication research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate temporal changes in speech production during word revision.
- To examine if adults and children alter vowel and consonant timing in response to listener miscomprehension.
Main Methods:
- Participants (4 adults, 16 children) repeated words with varying initial/final stop consonants.
- Speech waveform analysis measured Voice Onset Time, vowel duration, and closure duration.
- Revision requests targeted specific sound segments or general clarification.
Main Results:
- Both children and adults reduced vowel duration and increased final consonant closure duration during revision.
- Total word duration was preserved despite these segmental changes.
- Linguistic voicing distinctions remained intact in revised speech.
Conclusions:
- Speakers dynamically adjust speech timing to enhance clarity when miscommunication occurs.
- Adults and children employ similar strategies for speech revision, focusing on consonant enhancement.
- Findings contribute to understanding the adaptive nature of speech production.
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