Acoustic and perceptual implications of the transsexual voice

Two experiments are described concerning voice characteristics of male-to-female transsexuals. In the speech production experiment isolated words and longer utterances were realized in a male and female mode by subjects. Speech samples were analyzed as to a number of acoustic parameters and compared intraindividually. It appeared that, in spite of anatomical constraints, subjects were able to realize a number of vocal characteristics that are known to add to a feminine voice quality in the female speaking mode. In the second experiment, consisting of a perceptual task, male and female versions of some speech samples were presented pairwise to a panel of listeners who were able to identify the intended speaker sex mode. Perceptual results thus corroborate the acoustic findings.