Formant frequency characteristics in Palestinian Arabic-speaking aphasics

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 313-328
Author(s):  
Hisham Adam
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Applications ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Formant Frequency ◽  
The West ◽  
Acoustic Characteristics ◽  
Formant Frequencies ◽  
Short Vowels ◽  
Vowel Space ◽  
Palestinian Arabic ◽  
Arabic Speaking

The aim of this paper is to examine the acoustic characteristics of Arabic vowels as produced by Palestinian Arabic-speaking Broca’s aphasics compared to normal speakers. Five subjects diagnosed with Broca’s aphasia and five normal speakers residing in the West Bank participated in this study. The subjects produced 240 vowel tokens of the eight Arabic vowels (/i:/, /i/, /e:/, /a:/, /a/, /o:/, /u:/ and /u/,). The samples were analyzed using PRAAT and the formants F1 and F2 of the eight Arabic vowels were measured. F1 and F2 values were compared to the data in the literature. Comparisons among speakers of Palestinian Arabic indicated that Broca’s aphasics’ formant frequencies were significantly different to those of normal speakers, showing that formant frequencies of F1 and F2 are generally higher among Broca’s aphasics compared to the control group. Furthermore, the findings reveal that the acoustic vowel space of Broca’s aphasics is more centralized compared to the control subjects. The results also indicate that Broca’s aphasics were able to maintain the phonemic contrast between the long and short vowels. In general, the results may contribute to neurolinguistic research across different languages, especially given that Palestinian Arabic is studied significantly less than other Arabic dialects. Furthermore, the results may have clinical applications when evaluating and/or treating Palestinian Arabic-speaking Broca’s aphasics.

scholarly journals Effect of Age, Gender and Vowel Type on Vowel Space Area in Sinhala Speakers

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S.V Narasimhan ◽  
W.G.S.S Karunarathne
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Formant Frequency ◽  
Formant Frequencies ◽  
Short Vowels ◽  
Vowel Space ◽  
Group 3 ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
Male Subjects ◽  
Effect Of Age

This study was conducted to document the effect of age, gender and vowel type on vowel space area in Sinhala language. Three groups of participants were employed. Group 1 included 20 children, Group 2 included 20 adults and Group 3 consisted of 20 elderly subjects. All the subjects spoke the dialect of central province of Sri Lanka. Words consisting of three Sinhala short vowels /a/, /i/ and /u/ in were recorded. Formant frequencies of vowels were extracted and vowel space area was constructed. The results showed that the formant frequencies were significantly higher for children compared with those of adults. Female subjects had significantly higher formant frequency values than male subjects. Effect of vowel types were also significant on the formant frequencies and vowel space area. Sinhala also follows universal criteria of resonance characteristics and vocal tract constriction. Keywords: vowel space area, formant frequencies, Sinhala, vowel articulation

scholarly journals Acoustic Characteristics of Pakistani English Vowel Sounds

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Abdul Abbasi ◽  
Mansoor Channa ◽  
Masood Memon ◽  
Stephen John ◽  
Irtaza Ahmed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Speech Processing ◽  
Visual Inspection ◽  
Vowel Quality ◽  
Formant Frequency ◽  
Acoustic Characteristics ◽  
Vowel Space ◽  
English Vowels ◽  
Esl Learners ◽  
The Voice

The purpose of this investigation was to document acoustic characteristics of Pakistani English (PaKE) vowel sounds. The experiment was designed to examine the properties of ten vowels produced by Pakistani ESL learners. The analysis is based on the voice samples of recorded 50 CVC words. Total 5000 (10  10  50=5000) voiced samples were analyzed. The data consisted of 50 words of ten English vowel sounds [i: ɪ e ɔ: æ ə ɑ: u: ɒ ʊ]. Ten ESL speakers recorded their voice samples on Praat speech processing tool installed on laptop. Three parameters were considered i.e., fundamental frequency (F0), vowel quality (F1-F2) and duration. Formant patterns were judged manually by visual inspection on Praat Speech Processing Tool. Analysis of formant frequency shows numerous differences between male and female of F1 and F2, fundamental frequency and duration of English vowels. The voice samples provide evidence for higher and lower frequency of vowel sounds. Additionally, the data analysis illustrates that there were statistical differences in the values of short and long vowels coupled with vowel space plot showing explicit differences in locating the production of vowels of male & female vowel space acoustic realizations.

Exploration of Metrics for Quantifying Formant Space: Implications for Clinical Assessment of Parkinson Disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 402-410
Author(s):  
Jason A. Whitfield
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson Disease ◽  
Clinical Assessment ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Formant Frequency ◽  
Formant Frequencies ◽  
Hypokinetic Dysarthria ◽  
Recent Advances ◽  
Vowel Space ◽  
Potential Factor

Purpose Speakers with Parkinson disease (PD) often exhibit hypokinetic dysarthria, which affects speech articulation. Vowel space metrics based on formant frequencies have been used to examine vowel articulation in speakers with PD. Although data from a number of studies suggest that speakers with PD exhibit smaller acoustic vowel space areas than control speakers, a handful of studies did not observe differences in vowel space area between speakers with and without PD. One potential factor explaining the inconsistent performance of traditional vowel space metrics is that these point-based metrics undersample the formant space to adequately capture between-groups and within-group differences in articulation. This article discusses recent advances in vowel space assessment that augment traditional vowel space metrics by examining the distribution of the entire formant frequency trace. Conclusion A general approach to obtaining these metrics is discussed along with clinical implications for vowel space assessment in speakers with PD.

Acoustics of Retroflex Sounds in Hindi and Other Languages

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 726-728
Author(s):  
Taniya Chawla ◽  
Kimberly M. Meigh
Keyword(s):  
Evidence Based ◽  
Speech Sounds ◽  
Formant Frequency ◽  
Acoustic Characteristics ◽  
Acoustic Data ◽  
Formant Frequencies ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Manner Of Articulation ◽  
Complex Movement

Purpose Retroflex sounds are frequently misarticulated speech sounds in India ( Kaur et al., 2017 ). This may be due to its complex movement that involves the tongue tip to be curled backward and often in contact behind the alveolar ridge ( Hamann, 2003 ). However, there is a paucity of acoustic studies that have measured different types of retroflex sounds in Hindi and other languages. The aim of this article is to provide information regarding the acoustic characteristics of retroflex speech sounds in Hindi and other languages. Conclusion Of all retroflex sounds, stop retroflex manner of articulation is the most studied. Formant frequencies help in distinguishing different places of articulation. Formant frequency F3 distinguishes retroflex sounds, whereas vowels play a crucial role in identifying the retroflex sound. There are insufficient acoustic data for retroflex sounds of manners different than stops (e.g., Hindi retroflex tap), which may lead to a lack of evidence-based assessment and treatment for these sounds.

A Note on Vowel Centralization in Stuttering and Nonstuttering Individuals

1998 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 1042-1051 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Blomgren ◽  
Michael Robb ◽  
Yang Chen
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Treated Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Formant Frequency ◽  
Frequency Spacing ◽  
Analysis Scheme ◽  
Vowel Space ◽  
And Control

Inferences were made regarding vocal tract vowel space during fluently produced utterances through examination of the first two formant frequencies. Fifteen adult males served as subjects, representing separate groups of untreated and treated individuals who stutter and nonstuttering controls. The steady-state portion of formant one (F1) and formant two (F2) was examined in the production of various CVC tokens containing the vowels /i/, /u/, and /α/. Vocal tract vowel space was estimated three ways. The first analysis scheme involved measurement of formant frequency spacing. The second measure involved calculating the area of the vowel space triangle. The third measure was based on calculating the average Euclidean distance from each subject's midpoint "centroid" vocal tract position to the corresponding /i/, /u/, and /α/ points on the vowel triangle. The formant frequency spacing measures proved to be most revealing of group differences, with the untreated stutterers showing significantly greater vowel centralization than the treated group and control group. Discussion focuses on the vocal tract articulation characterizing fluent speech productions and possible treatment implications for persons who stutter.

Acoustic Analysis of Correct and Misarticulated Semivowels

1988 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 275-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn Chaney
Keyword(s):  
Transition Rate ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Initial Position ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Formant Frequency ◽  
Formant Frequencies ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
Second Formant ◽  
Acoustic Pattern ◽  
Impaired Children

Four children who produced correct /w,r,l,j/, four children with developmental w/r and w/l substitutions, and four articulation impaired children with w/r and w/l substitutions were subjects. They produced sets of minimally contrasted words with /w,r,l,j/ in word-initial position with four vowels and with /w,r,l/ in two types of consonant clusters. Children's utterances were spectrographically analyzed for three formant frequencies and transition rate of the second formant. Children with correct semivowels produced distinctive formant frequency patterns for semivowels that were similar to those previously reported in the literature for adults and children. Developmental and articulation impaired children produced acoustic features for /j/ that were similar to the /j/ produced by the control group; but neither group differentiated among /w,r,l/ by either formant frequencies or transition rate. Some individuals in both groups produced formant frequency and/or transition rate differences among semivowels in some phonetic contexts. The /w/ produced for target /w/ and in substitution for /r/ and /l/ by three developmental children and two articulation-impaired children did not match the acoustic pattern of control /w/. These productions had higher second formants, occurring between control /w/ and /r,l/ or in the range of correct /r,l/.

scholarly journals Acoustical Comparison between /u/ and /u:/ Arabic Vowels for Non-Native Speakers

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Ali Abd Almisreb ◽  
Nooritawati Md Tahir ◽  
Ahmad Farid Abidin ◽  
Norashidah Md Din
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Arabic Language ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
The Other ◽  
Formant Frequency ◽  
Formant Frequencies ◽  
Acoustical Analysis ◽  
Vowel Space

<p>The articulation of Arabic phonemes is essential for the Malay community since Arabic language is mandatory to perform worship. Hence, in this paper, an acoustical analysis of Arabic phonemes for vowels /u/ and /u:/ is discussed based on tokens pronounced by Malay speakers. The experimental results showed that the Malay speakers are inclined to utter these Arabic phonemes similar to the native speakers and it was also found from the analysis that the vowel /u/ and /u: was articulated as high-back vowels. Conversely, the vowel /u/ was located lower than /u:/ as in the vowel-space. Alternatively results also showed that /u/ and /u:/  is higher than the other vowels specifically /a/ and /a:/. In addition, the statistical analysis showed that the formant frequencies of both short and long dummah for formant frequency F1, F2 and F3 have more variation in terms of /u/ as compare to /u:/. In contrast formant frequency F4 and F5 are more diversity in terms of /u:/.</p>

Acoustic characteristics and placement within vowel space of full schwa in the world’s languages: A survey

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-36
Author(s):  
Daniel Recasens
Keyword(s):  
Frequency Data ◽  
Formant Frequency ◽  
Acoustic Characteristics ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
Vowel Space ◽  
Space Organization ◽  
Stressed Position

Data from about one hundred languages reveal that, in spite of resulting typically from articulatory reduction of peripheral vowels in unstressed position, full schwa may also occur in stressed position in stress languages and in unreduced syllables in languages lacking stress. Formant frequency data reveal that this vowel is mid central, though somewhat shifted to the mid back unrounded area (particularly if long and placed in open syllables and at the edges of words), and exhibits a higher or lower realization depending on the number of mid vowels in the vowel system. In spite of occurring in stressed position, full schwa resembles unstressed schwa in being very short, highly variable and possibly low intensity, which accounts for why it is prone to occur in closed syllables and longer words, and may receive stress only if the remaining vowel nuclei in the word are central and/or short peripheral. Moreover, variability in the F1 and F2 dimensions increases with the number of peripheral mid vowels, which appears to obey symmetry and dispersion principles of vowel space organization.

scholarly journals Acoustic Correlates of Emphatic Sounds in Palestinian Arabic-speaking Persons with Aphasia

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Hisham Al-Adam
Keyword(s):  
Voice Onset Time ◽  
Motor Planning ◽  
Onset Time ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Broca's Aphasia ◽  
Acoustic Correlates ◽  
Broca’S Aphasia ◽  
Monosyllabic Words ◽  
Palestinian Arabic ◽  
Arabic Speaking

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the acoustic characteristics of the emphatic sounds as produced by Palestinian Arabic-speaking persons diagnosed with Broca’s aphasia as compared to normal speakers. Method: The acoustic correlates of emphasis in Palestinian Arabic using measurements of voice onset time (VOT), frequency values of F1 and F2 formants, and duration of vowel were investigated. Four subjects diagnosed with Broca’s aphasia and four normal speakers residing in the West Bank participated in this study. The emphatic stop /t¯/ and its plain counterpart /t/ in initial positions presented in monosyllabic words were investigated. The target stops were followed immediately by the vowels /a/, /u/, and /i/. The speech samples were analyzed using PRAAT and Phono lab speech analysis software,. F1 and F2 formants were measured and compared with the data in the literature. Results: The acoustic measurements of the target vowels demonstrated an increase in F1 and a decrease in F2 formant in case of emphatic sounds compared to the plain one. Lowering of F2 formant was found to be a reliable acoustic cue of emphatic sounds. However, F2 formant was generally higher among subjects with Broca’s aphasia compared to the control group. The results also revealed that subjects with Broca’s aphasia were unable to maintain the acoustic distinction between the emphatic sounds and their plain counterparts. Conclusion: The VOT value of the emphatic voiceless stop /t¯/ was significantly shorter than that of its plain counterpart /t/ as demonstrated by both the normal speakers and the subjects with Broca’s aphasia. The articulatory complexity of the emphatic sounds and therefore the deviated patterns in subjects with Broca’s aphasia might suggest motor programming and motor planning deficits.

scholarly journals A Longitudinal Study of Very Young Children's Vowel Production

2014 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca W. McGowan ◽  
Richard S. McGowan ◽  
Margaret Denny ◽  
Susan Nittrouer
Keyword(s):  
American English ◽  
Vowel Production ◽  
Formant Frequency ◽  
Formant Frequencies ◽  
Vowel Space ◽  
Speech Data ◽  
Regional Dialect ◽  
Acoustic Analyses ◽  
English Dialect ◽  
Existing Data

Purpose Ecologically realistic, spontaneous, adult-directed, longitudinal speech data of young children were described by acoustic analyses. Method The first 2 formant frequencies of vowels produced by 6 children from different American English dialect regions were analyzed from ages 18 to 48 months. The vowels were from largely conversational contexts and were classified according to dictionary pronunciation. Results Within-subject formant frequency variability remained relatively constant for the span of ages studied. It was often difficult to detect overall decreases in the first 2 formant frequencies between ages 30 and 48 months. A study of the movement of the corner vowels with respect to the vowel centroid showed that the shape of the vowel space remained qualitatively constant from 30 through 48 months. Conclusions The shape of the vowel space is established early in life. Some aspects of regional dialect were observed in some of the subjects at 42 months of age. The present study adds to the existing data on the development of vowel spaces by describing ecologically realistic speech.

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