Neural pitch tracking of nonnative lexical tones in 7 and 11-month-old infants

2020 ◽  
Vol 148 (4) ◽  
pp. 2506-2506
Author(s):  
Tian Zhao ◽  
Fernando Llanos ◽  
Patricia K. Kuhl ◽  
Bharath Chandrasekaran
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Tones ◽  
Pitch Tracking

scholarly journals method for lexical tone classification in audio-visual speech

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 93-104
Author(s):  
João Vítor Possamai de Menezes ◽  
Maria Mendes Cantoni ◽  
Denis Burnham ◽  
Adriano Vilela Barbosa
Keyword(s):  
Native Speaker ◽  
Visual Speech ◽  
Lexical Tone ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Linear Discriminant ◽  
Lexical Tones ◽  
Pitch Tracking ◽  
Visual Component ◽  
Input Signals ◽  
Production Experiment

This work presents a method for lexical tone classification in audio-visual speech. The method is applied to a speech data set consisting of syllables and words produced by a female native speaker of Cantonese. The data were recorded in an audio-visual speech production experiment. The visual component of speech was measured by tracking the positions of active markers placed on the speaker's face, whereas the acoustic component was measured with an ordinary microphone. A pitch tracking algorithm is used to estimate F0 from the acoustic signal. A procedure for head motion compensation is applied to the tracked marker positions in order to separate the head and face motion components. The data are then organized into four signal groups: F0, Face, Head, Face+Head. The signals in each of these groups are parameterized by means of a polynomial approximation and then used to train an LDA (Linear Discriminant Analysis) classifier that maps the input signals into one of the output classes (the lexical tones of the language). One classifier is trained for each signal group. The ability of each signal group to predict the correct lexical tones was assessed by the accuracy of the corresponding LDA classifier. The accuracy of the classifiers was obtained by means of a k-fold cross validation method. The classifiers for all signal groups performed above chance, with F0 achieving the highest accuracy, followed by Face+Head, Face, and Head, respectively. The differences in performance between all signal groups were statistically significant. 

On the Relationship Between General Auditory Sensitivity and Speech Perception: An Examination of Pitch and Lexical Tone Perception in 4- to 6-Year-Old Children

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 487-498
Author(s):  
Puisan Wong ◽  
Man Wai Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Speech Perception ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Developmental Trajectory ◽  
Auditory Sensitivity ◽  
Pitch Discrimination ◽  
Lexical Tone ◽  
Perceptual Training ◽  
Lexical Tones ◽  
Tone Perception ◽  
Tone Discrimination

Purpose Theoretical models and substantial research have proposed that general auditory sensitivity is a developmental foundation for speech perception and language acquisition. Nonetheless, controversies exist about the effectiveness of general auditory training in improving speech and language skills. This research investigated the relationships among general auditory sensitivity, phonemic speech perception, and word-level speech perception via the examination of pitch and lexical tone perception in children. Method Forty-eight typically developing 4- to 6-year-old Cantonese-speaking children were tested on the discrimination of the pitch patterns of lexical tones in synthetic stimuli, discrimination of naturally produced lexical tones, and identification of lexical tone in familiar words. Results The findings revealed that accurate lexical tone discrimination and identification did not necessarily entail the accurate discrimination of nonlinguistic stimuli that followed the pitch levels and pitch shapes of lexical tones. Although pitch discrimination and tone discrimination abilities were strongly correlated, accuracy in pitch discrimination was lower than that in tone discrimination, and nonspeech pitch discrimination ability did not precede linguistic tone discrimination in the developmental trajectory. Conclusions Contradicting the theoretical models, the findings of this study suggest that general auditory sensitivity and speech perception may not be causally or hierarchically related. The finding that accuracy in pitch discrimination is lower than that in tone discrimination suggests that comparable nonlinguistic auditory perceptual ability may not be necessary for accurate speech perception and language learning. The results cast doubt on the use of nonlinguistic auditory perceptual training to improve children's speech, language, and literacy abilities.

Processing Lexical Tones and Emotional Tones in Precategorical Acoustic Storage

2010 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 651-662
Author(s):  
Wei-Wei QIN ◽  
Si-Yun LIU ◽  
Li YANG ◽  
Zong-Kui ZHOU
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Tones

Max/MSP/Jitter for Music

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. J Manzo
Keyword(s):  
Video Game ◽  
Music Technology ◽  
Camera Tracking ◽  
Instructional Tools ◽  
Music Therapists ◽  
Interactive Music ◽  
Pitch Tracking ◽  
Special Value ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Private Studio

In Max/MSP/Jitter for Music, expert author and music technologist V. J. Manzo provides a user-friendly introduction to a powerful programming language that can be used to write custom software for musical interaction. Through clear, step-by-step instructions illustrated with numerous examples of working systems, the book equips you with everything you need to know in order to design and complete meaningful music projects. The book also discusses ways to interact with software beyond the mouse and keyboard through use of camera tracking, pitch tracking, video game controllers, sensors, mobile devices, and more. This book will be of special value for everyone who teaches music at any level, from classroom instructors to ensemble directors to private studio instructors. Whether you want to create simple exercises for beginning performers or more complex programs for aspiring composers, this book will show you how to write customized software that can complement and even inspire your instructional objectives. No specialist foreknowledge is required to use this book to enliven your experience with music technology. Even musicians with no prior programming skills can learn to supplement their lessons with interactive instructional tools, to develop adaptive instruments to aid in composition and performance activities, and to create measurement tools with which to conduct research. This book allows you to: -Learn how to design meaningful projects for composition, performance, music therapy, instruction, and research -Understand powerful software through this accessible introduction, written for beginners -Follow along through step-by-step tutorials -Grasp the principles by downloading the extensive software examples from the companion website This book is ideal for: -Music educators at all levels looking to integrate software in instruction -Musicians interested in how software can improve their practice and performance -Music composers with an interest in designing interactive music -Music therapists looking to tailor programs to the needs of specific groups or individuals And all who are interested in music technology. Visit the companion website at www.oup.com/us/maxmspjitter

scholarly journals Lexical and Prosodic Pitch Modifications in Cantonese Infant-directed Speech

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Luchang WANG ◽  
Marina KALASHNIKOVA ◽  
René KAGER ◽  
Regine LAI ◽  
Patrick C.M. WONG
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Lexical Tone ◽  
Lexical Tones ◽  
Phonetic Learning ◽  
Tonal Space ◽  
Shed Light ◽  
Talker Variation ◽  
Phonemic Contrasts

Abstract The functions of acoustic-phonetic modifications in infant-directed speech (IDS) remain a question: do they specifically serve to facilitate language learning via enhanced phonemic contrasts (the hyperarticulation hypothesis) or primarily to improve communication via prosodic exaggeration (the prosodic hypothesis)? The study of lexical tones provides a unique opportunity to shed light on this, as lexical tones are phonemically contrastive, yet their primary cue, pitch, is also a prosodic cue. This study investigated Cantonese IDS and found increased intra-talker variation of lexical tones, which more likely posed a challenge to rather than facilitated phonetic learning. Although tonal space was expanded which could facilitate phonetic learning, its expansion was a function of overall intonational modifications. Similar findings were observed in speech to pets who should not benefit from larger phonemic distinction. We conclude that lexical-tone adjustments in IDS mainly serve to broadly enhance communication rather than specifically increase phonemic contrast for learners.

scholarly journals Statistical Speech Segmentation in Tone Languages: The Role of Lexical Tones

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Gómez ◽  
Peggy Mok ◽  
Mikhail Ordin ◽  
Jacques Mehler ◽  
Marina Nespor
Keyword(s):  
Speech Processing ◽  
Additional Data ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Speech Segmentation ◽  
Lexical Tones ◽  
Tone Languages ◽  
Transitional Probabilities ◽  
Lexical Processes

Research has demonstrated distinct roles for consonants and vowels in speech processing. For example, consonants have been shown to support lexical processes, such as the segmentation of speech based on transitional probabilities (TPs), more effectively than vowels. Theory and data so far, however, have considered only non-tone languages, that is to say, languages that lack contrastive lexical tones. In the present work, we provide a first investigation of the role of consonants and vowels in statistical speech segmentation by native speakers of Cantonese, as well as assessing how tones modulate the processing of vowels. Results show that Cantonese speakers are unable to use statistical cues carried by consonants for segmentation, but they can use cues carried by vowels. This difference becomes more evident when considering tone-bearing vowels. Additional data from speakers of Russian and Mandarin suggest that the ability of Cantonese speakers to segment streams with statistical cues carried by tone-bearing vowels extends to other tone languages, but is much reduced in speakers of non-tone languages.

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