An acoustic analysis and some perceptual data concerning voice change in male-female trans-sexuals

Utterances were produced in two gender role realizations by male-to-female trans-sexuals. An acoustic analysis of 17 parameters was carried out and results were compared intra-individually. It appears that, in spite of anatomical constraints, subjects were able to realise a number of vocal characteristics that are known to add to a feminine voice quality in the female speaking mode. In a subsequent 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 correctly. Perceptual results thus corroborate acoustic data.