An informal logic of feedback-based temporal control

Area of Science:

• Speech motor control
• Auditory feedback
• Linguistics

Background:

• Understanding articulatory timing is crucial for speech production.
• Existing models often lack a comprehensive framework for feedback integration.
• The role of internal vs. external feedback in speech rate modulation requires further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a conceptual and mathematical model for articulatory timing control.
• To investigate the role of feedback systems, distinguishing between internal and external feedback.
• To explore the implications of this framework for speech production and linguistic organization.

Main Methods:

• Development of a mathematical model for articulatory timing.
• Analysis of feedback systems at both syllable and multi-phrase utterance levels.
• Theoretical exploration of attention modulation to feedback signals.

Main Results:

• A feedback-centric model successfully explains articulatory timing control.
• Internal/predictive and external/sensory feedback play distinct roles.
• Modulation of attention to feedback influences speech rate (speeding up/slowing down).

Conclusions:

• The proposed framework offers a unified approach to articulatory timing.
• Speaker attention to feedback is a key mechanism for speech rate control.
• The model has significant implications for understanding syllable structure and prosodic organization.