Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 10, 2025
09:09
Foreign Accent and Forensic Speaker Identification in Voice Lineups: The Influence of Acoustic Features Based on Prosody
Published on: September 27, 2024
715
Structured speaker variability in Japanese stops: Relationships within versus across cues to stop voicing
James Tanner1, Morgan Sonderegger1, Jane Stuart-Smith2
1Department of Linguistics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|September 3, 2020
Summary
Speakers show limited phonetic variability in marking language contrasts. This study reveals structured variability in Japanese spontaneous speech, constrained by language-specific phonetic features.
Area of Science:
- Phonetics
- Linguistics
- Sociophonetics
Background:
- Recent studies show constrained phonetic variability across speakers.
- Previous research focused on lab speech and Germanic languages.
- Gaps exist in understanding variability in spontaneous speech and multi-cue contrasts.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate structured variability in spontaneous speech.
- Examine speaker variation in marking the Japanese stop voicing contrast.
- Analyze the use of voice onset time and voicing during closure.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of Japanese spontaneous speech.
- Examination of phonetic cues: voice onset time and voicing during closure.
- Cross-speaker analysis of cue usage in stop voicing contrasts.
Main Results:
- Strong covarying relationships observed within each phonetic cue across speakers.
- Weaker relationships found between the two cues across speakers.
- Speaker variability is constrained by language-specific phonetic implementation.
Conclusions:
- Structured phonetic variability is language-specific.
- Phonetic implementation of linguistic contrasts shapes speaker variation.
- Findings extend understanding of phonetic variability to spontaneous speech and Japanese.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Components of Language
639
Language, whether spoken, signed, or written, consists of specific components: lexicon and grammar. The lexicon is the vocabulary of a language, comprising its words. Grammar is the set of rules used to convey meaning through the lexicon. For example, English grammar adds “-ed” to most verbs to indicate past tense. Words are formed by combining phonemes, which are the basic sound units of a language. Different languages have different sets of phonemes (e.g., “ah” vs.
639
01:29Non-Verbal Cues
170
Non-verbal communication extends beyond gestures and facial expressions to include vocal elements known as paralanguage. Paralanguage consists of non-verbal vocal cues such as pitch, loudness, speech rate, pauses, and non-verbal vocalizations like laughter, sighs, and moans. These elements not only accompany speech but also provide critical emotional and contextual information.The Role of Paralanguage in CommunicationParalanguage adds depth to spoken language by conveying emotions and...
170
01:26Causes of Similarity-Dissimilarity Effect
157
The similarity-dissimilarity effect, a fundamental concept in social psychology, explains how interpersonal similarities and differences influence attraction and social interactions. This effect is supported by three key psychological perspectives: balance theory, social comparison theory, and consensual validation.Balance Theory and Cognitive ConsistencyBalance theory, developed by Fritz Heider, posits that individuals seek cognitive consistency in their relationships. When two people share...
157
01:27Language and Cognition
609
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
609
01:21Barriers to Effective Communication II
4.4K
The barriers to effective communication also include cultural barriers, semantic barriers, gender barriers, and time constraints.
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
4.4K
01:25The Anchoring-and-Adjustment Heuristic
7.6K
In order to make good decisions, we use our knowledge and our reasoning. Often, this knowledge and reasoning is sound and solid. However, sometimes, we are swayed by biases or by others manipulating a situation. For example, let’s say you and three friends wanted to rent a house and had a combined target budget of $1,600. The realtor shows you only very run-down houses for $1,600 and then shows you a very nice house for $2,000. Might you ask each person to pay more in rent to get the...
7.6K