Speech Acoustics Review

Question 1

Structure: segmental vs. suprasegmental

Answer 1

Segmental Aspects of Speech
•individual speech sound – The phoneme being the smallest unit
•Important to AR – Each phoneme has a distinctive band of frequencies

Suprasegmental Aspects of Speech
•two or more speech sounds including:
•	Duration
•	Intensity
•	Stress
•	Rhythm
•	Phrasing
•	Intonation

Generally, these cues are

Question 2

Are speech sounds simple or complex sounds?

Answer 2

• All speech sounds are complex (made up of more than one frequency)
• Simple sounds are sine waves/pure tones

Question 3

Are speech sounds periodic or aperiodic?

Answer 3

• Periodic: waveform repeats itself regularly (vowels)

* Aperiodic: irregular, doesn’t tend to have any association with pitch

Question 4

Formants

Answer 4

The spectral peaks in the sound, the resonances of the vocal tract.
Made up of F1 F2 and F3

Question 5

Fund. Freq

Answer 5

lowest freq in a periodic waveform

Question 6

Count-the-Dots Audiogram

Answer 6

Determine speech intelligibility based on percentage (each dot represents ONE percent)

Count whatever is underneath the line (what is audible)

Question 7

Fricatives

Answer 7

impeding flow of air, friction of air passing

f/v/s/z

Question 8

Plosive/Stop

Answer 8

p, b

(opening a closed passage and releasing a burst of a air),

Question 9

Affricates

Answer 9

ch,j

begins as a stop and ends as a fricative

Question 10

Nasals

Answer 10

n,m

air escapes through the nose as it is blocked by the lips or tongue, mostly voiced

Question 11

glides

Answer 11

y,w

semivowels; function as the syllable boundary rather than syllable nucleus

Question 12

Features of Production (3)

Answer 12

• Place of Production: Co-varies with frequency
• Manner of production: affects duration and intensity
• Voicing
• Voiced consonants include low frequency information
• Voiceless are predominantly high frequency

Question 13

Relationship of Hearing Loss to Speech Detection and Recognition: key point

Answer 13

•Key Point: There is a correlation between detection of certain speech sounds and the loss of sensitivity in the frequency range of those sounds.

Question 14

Relationship of Hearing Loss to Speech Detection and Recognition: high vs low freqs

Answer 14

High frequency hearing loss

• affects reception of segments of speech
• contribute to speech understanding (65% above 1000 Hz and 90% above 500 Hz)
• more important for intelligibility

Low frequency hearing loss

• affect suprasegmental aspects
• contribute to detection of speech and recognition of suprasegmental aspects (90% below 1000 Hz)

Question 15

Kids with severe to profound SNHL have difficulty with … vs. kids with mild-mod

Answer 15

Sev-Prof SNHL:

• difficulty with learning suprasegmental aspects of speech while mild to moderate kids don’t.
• Intonation: changes in pitch (pitch associated more with vowels)
• fundamental freq is 85-155 Hz males and 165-255 Hz for females
• Stress (when you put stress more emphasis is put on the lower freq sounds)
• Duration: take longer time with vowels typically

Question 16

Ling 6 Sounds Testing: Daniel Ling

Answer 16

•Covers a full range of speech frequencies and intensities

- Ah, oo, ee, sss, shh, mmm

Question 17

Ling 6 Sounds Test: daily steps

Answer 17

1) Use daily to check child’s hearing aids
2) Use daily to check on child’s hearing function
3) Use daily to check on optimal distance to work with child
• 20 cm (very close)
• 6 ft (Typical conversation distance between 2 speakers)
• 9 ft (Typical conversation distance between more than 2 speakers)
• Can alter intonation and duration as well

Question 18

Ling 6 Sounds Test: Benefit

Answer 18

• Easy “low tech” tool that can be used with or without amplification and by anyone (aud, slp, parent, teacher, etc.)
• Test of detection, discrimination, identification, but not comprehension

[Quiet environment, use normal speaking voice, to the side or behind them, positive reinforcement when they respond, if they don’t respond try again with extra intonation or duration and if they still don’t respond then move on]