SAIT-EMA: A Tridimensional Electromagnetic Articulography Database for Mandarin with Diverse Language Backgrounds

Electromagnetic Articulography (EMA), an instrument to capture high-precision 3D movement data of the tongue, lips, and jaw, has been widely employed in speech production research, L2 instruction, and clinical rehabilitation. This study introduces the SAIT-EMA database, a Mandarin speech corpus that integrates articulatory and acoustic data from both native speakers of Mandarin and second language learners from diverse first-language backgrounds. The database comprises data from 18 participants (9 male and 9 female), including six L2 learners from Vietnam, Peru, Mexico, and Russia, and twelve native Mandarin speakers as a control group (two highly proficient speakers and ten general native speakers). Data were collected using the Carstens AG501 EMA system, with nine sensors attached to articulators: tongue tip (TT), tongue blade (TB), tongue dorsum (TD), lower incisors (LI), upper lip (UL), lower lip (LL), nasal bridge (NR), and bilateral mastoids (LE and RE). Articulatory data were sampled at 250 Hz, with synchronized audio recorded at 48 kHz, resulting in motion data in.pos format and standard.wav audio files. The speech materials were selected from a Mandarin interlanguage speech corpus, covering a broad range of phonetic phenomena including segments, tones, tone sandhi, and focus prosody-ensuring coverage of key issues in L2 phonetic research. The SAIT-EMA database offers the resource specifically targeting articulatory patterns in Mandarin L2 learners from diverse language backgrounds. It provides a valuable foundation for testing theoretical hypotheses in L2 acquisition and supports the development of intelligent computer aided pronunciation training technologies.