Acoustic Phonetics - Key concepts Flashcards
what characterizes the presence of the vowel sound on a spectrogram?
[ə ]
( schwa )
state the vowel sound matching this characterization?
its acoustic interval (duration) is short relative to other vowel sounds
how do the following pair differ in how they are perceived by humans?
- consonants
vs
- vowels
state the contrasting pair of speech sounds described:
1. are perceived categorically
- differing VOT intervals make up exclusive categories through which the sounds are distinguished.
2. are perceived on a continuum/non-abrupt
- as the formant frequencies, defining the sound, change, the perceptual quality also change.
(p. 99 AM 2014)
Which concept is this the description of?
the temporal relationship
between onset of voicing & release of the articulators
( 2004 exam solution-sheet )
what relationship does the concept describe?
VOT( voice-onset-time )
What subgroup of speech sounds is associated with the listed possible effects on VOT?
voicing coincides with the release = short voicing lag
or
voicing begins prior to release = negative VOT
(p. 97 AM 2014)
How do the members of the following group of speech sounds affect the VOT measure?
voiced stops
Define the concept:
vowel normalization
state the concept described:
**the ability of recognizing and normalizing vowel frequencies across different speakers - despite acoustic differences. **
children and adults typically produce the same vowels at different frequencies, therefore this phenomenon is indispensable to speech perception.
(p. 89-91 AM 2014)
state the concept described:
**the ability of recognizing and normalizing vowel frequencies across different speakers - despite acoustic differences. **
children and adults typically produce the same vowels at different frequencies, therefore this phenomenon is indispensable to speech perception.
(p. 89-91 AM 2014)
Define the concept:
vowel normalization
which type of speech sound is this a description of?
the filters (active articulators)
produce amplitude peaks at certain frequencies of the harmonics while muffling other frequencies.
( p. 67 in AM 2014)
Relating to the acoustic feature of speech sound production, how is this type of speech sound produced:
Vowels
in a spectrogram reading, what group of speech sounds is qualified by the following?
a blank space
+
possible aspiration
air rushing out of the mouth after the release of the articulators
( p. 71 AM 2014)
how can we detect the following group of sounds in a spectrogram reading?
voiceless stops
to which two groups of speech sounds do the following contrasting descriptions apply?
- This group is produced with stable vocal tract configuration = there is no change in formant frequencies in the interval of the sound.
- This group is produced by the articulators enforcing a change in the vocal tract configuration = change (upward or downward) in the frequency of at least one formant during the sound interval.
what is the articulatory and acoustic difference between:
- monophthongs
and
- diphthongs
What concept entails the following?
- A native speaker will identify stimuli from a VOT continuum as belonging to one of two possible categories
- Distinctions within in a category are ignored
- The peak of discrimination is aligned with category boundary
Example:
‘Final voicing contrast’ in English and the lack there of in Danish.
( Mock final answer-sheet + 2004 exam solution-sheet)
Define the concept:
Categorical perception
Bonus: give an example of CP
what do you call the type of graphic representation from which you can extract the following information:
- Duration of acoustic input:
measured in milliseconds on the x-axis
- Amplitude of acoustic input:
represented by a grey scale
(the darker the area is the higher the input)
- Frequency of acoustic input:
measured in Hz on the y-axis
( mock final answer-sheet)
What information is available in:
spectograms
According to the patterns in a spectrogram analysis of speech sounds, what are the following sounds associated with?
stop consonants
In relation to spectrogram analysis of speech sounds what subgroup of sounds are detected by the following?
a blank space on the spectrogram
indicating a complete block of the air stream
(p. 70 AM 2014 )
how can we detect the following group of sounds in a spectrogram reading?
affricates
(stop + fricative)
in a spectrogram reading, what group of speech sounds is qualified by the following?
a blank space = indicating the initial closure
followed by
aperiodicity = unrecognizable TV static pattern.
state the two types of components in:
a complex sound wave:
what acoustic entity is comprised of the following?
a fundamental frequency (pitch)
+
a set of harmonics
repeating at frequencies which are multiples of the fundamental frequency
(p. 67 AM 2014)
Relating to the acoustic feature of speech sound production, how is this type of speech sound produced:
Vowels
which type of speech sound is this a description of?
the filters (active articulators)
produce amplitude peaks at certain frequencies of the harmonics while muffling other frequencies.
( p. 67 in AM 2014)
According to the patterns in a spectrogram analysis of speech sounds, what are the following sounds associated with?
fricatives
In relation to spectrogram analysis of speech sounds what subgroup of sounds are detected by the following?
Turbulence = static on a Tv-screen
+
No recognizable pattern
The acoustic source of this sound is the aperiodic turbulence of the air rushing through a small opening
( p. 73 AM 2014)
