Ebook: Vowel Inherent Spectral Change

It has been traditional in phonetic research to characterize monophthongs using a set of static formant frequencies, i.e., formant frequencies taken from a single time-point in the vowel or averaged over the time-course of the vowel. However, over the last twenty years a growing body of research has demonstrated that, at least for a number of dialects of North American English, vowels which are traditionally described as monophthongs often have substantial spectral change. Vowel inherent spectral change has been observed in speakers’ productions, and has also been found to have a substantial effect on listeners’ perception. In terms of acoustics, the traditional categorical distinction between monophthongs and diphthongs can be replaced by a gradient description of dynamic spectral patterns. This book includes chapters addressing various aspects of vowel inherent spectral change (VISC), including theoretical and experimental studies of the perceptually relevant aspects of VISC, the relationship between articulation (vocal-tract trajectories) and VISC, historical changes related VISC, cross-dialect, cross-language, and cross-age-group comparisons of VISC, the effects of VISC on second-language speech learning, and the use of VISC in forensic voice comparison.

It has been traditional in phonetic research to characterize monophthongs using a set of static formant frequencies, i.e., formant frequencies taken from a single time-point in the vowel or averaged over the time-course of the vowel. However, over the last twenty years a growing body of research has demonstrated that, at least for a number of dialects of North American English, vowels which are traditionally described as monophthongs often have substantial spectral change. Vowel Inherent Spectral Change has been observed in speakers’ productions, and has also been found to have a substantial effect on listeners’ perception. In terms of acoustics, the traditional categorical distinction between monophthongs and diphthongs can be replaced by a gradient description of dynamic spectral patterns. This book includes chapters addressing various aspects of vowel inherent spectral change (VISC), including theoretical and experimental studies of the perceptually relevant aspects of VISC, the relationship between articulation (vocal-tract trajectories) and VISC, historical changes related to VISC, cross-dialect, cross-language, and cross-age-group comparisons of VISC, the effects of VISC on second-language speech learning, and the use of VISC in forensic voice comparison.

It has been traditional in phonetic research to characterize monophthongs using a set of static formant frequencies, i.e., formant frequencies taken from a single time-point in the vowel or averaged over the time-course of the vowel. However, over the last twenty years a growing body of research has demonstrated that, at least for a number of dialects of North American English, vowels which are traditionally described as monophthongs often have substantial spectral change. Vowel Inherent Spectral Change has been observed in speakers’ productions, and has also been found to have a substantial effect on listeners’ perception. In terms of acoustics, the traditional categorical distinction between monophthongs and diphthongs can be replaced by a gradient description of dynamic spectral patterns. This book includes chapters addressing various aspects of vowel inherent spectral change (VISC), including theoretical and experimental studies of the perceptually relevant aspects of VISC, the relationship between articulation (vocal-tract trajectories) and VISC, historical changes related to VISC, cross-dialect, cross-language, and cross-age-group comparisons of VISC, the effects of VISC on second-language speech learning, and the use of VISC in forensic voice comparison.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-vi
Front Matter....Pages 7-7
Static and Dynamic Approaches to Vowel Perception....Pages 9-30
Theories of Vowel Inherent Spectral Change....Pages 31-47
Vowel Inherent Spectral Change in the Vowels of North American English....Pages 49-85
Dynamic Specification of Coarticulated Vowels....Pages 87-115
Perception of Vowel Sounds Within a Biologically Realistic Model of Efficient Coding....Pages 117-151
Front Matter....Pages 153-153
Simulation and Identification of Vowels Based on a Time-Varying Model of the Vocal Tract Area Function....Pages 155-174
Front Matter....Pages 175-175
Cross-Dialectal Differences in Dynamic Formant Patterns in American English Vowels....Pages 177-198
Developmental Patterns in Children’s Speech: Patterns of Spectral Change in Vowels....Pages 199-230
Vowel Inherent Spectral Change and the Second-Language Learner....Pages 231-259
Front Matter....Pages 261-261
Vowel Inherent Spectral Change in Forensic Voice Comparison....Pages 263-282
Introduction....Pages 1-6
Back Matter....Pages 283-286

It has been traditional in phonetic research to characterize monophthongs using a set of static formant frequencies, i.e., formant frequencies taken from a single time-point in the vowel or averaged over the time-course of the vowel. However, over the last twenty years a growing body of research has demonstrated that, at least for a number of dialects of North American English, vowels which are traditionally described as monophthongs often have substantial spectral change. Vowel Inherent Spectral Change has been observed in speakers’ productions, and has also been found to have a substantial effect on listeners’ perception. In terms of acoustics, the traditional categorical distinction between monophthongs and diphthongs can be replaced by a gradient description of dynamic spectral patterns. This book includes chapters addressing various aspects of vowel inherent spectral change (VISC), including theoretical and experimental studies of the perceptually relevant aspects of VISC, the relationship between articulation (vocal-tract trajectories) and VISC, historical changes related to VISC, cross-dialect, cross-language, and cross-age-group comparisons of VISC, the effects of VISC on second-language speech learning, and the use of VISC in forensic voice comparison.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-vi
Front Matter....Pages 7-7
Static and Dynamic Approaches to Vowel Perception....Pages 9-30
Theories of Vowel Inherent Spectral Change....Pages 31-47
Vowel Inherent Spectral Change in the Vowels of North American English....Pages 49-85
Dynamic Specification of Coarticulated Vowels....Pages 87-115
Perception of Vowel Sounds Within a Biologically Realistic Model of Efficient Coding....Pages 117-151
Front Matter....Pages 153-153
Simulation and Identification of Vowels Based on a Time-Varying Model of the Vocal Tract Area Function....Pages 155-174
Front Matter....Pages 175-175
Cross-Dialectal Differences in Dynamic Formant Patterns in American English Vowels....Pages 177-198
Developmental Patterns in Children’s Speech: Patterns of Spectral Change in Vowels....Pages 199-230
Vowel Inherent Spectral Change and the Second-Language Learner....Pages 231-259
Front Matter....Pages 261-261
Vowel Inherent Spectral Change in Forensic Voice Comparison....Pages 263-282
Introduction....Pages 1-6
Back Matter....Pages 283-286
....