Speech Production

Question 1

How to investigate speech production

Answer 1

Observation of movements of speech e.g MRI, recordings of natural speech, analysis of natural and experimentally induced speech errors (TMS), neuroimaging (FMRI), genetic e.g FOXP2 KE Family

Question 2

Source filter model (Fitch, 2010)

Answer 2

Air produced by pulmonary pressure-> larynx where vocal folds vibrate -> filtered by superlayrngeal gyrus

Question 3

Phonetics is the

Answer 3

Study of speech sounds

Question 4

What are consonants classified by

Answer 4

Voicing, Place and Manner e.g plosives- b, g, t: compressed air forces open closed vocal folds in larynx
Manner= stops and burst release followed by vowel

Question 5

Vowel classification

Answer 5

Horizontal/vertical and high/low/ middle e.g ‘E’= front (horizontal) and mid

Question 6

MRI to measure speech production

Answer 6

Allows study of whole vocal tract with good soft tissues contrast and resolution

Question 7

Support for MRI to measure speech production

Answer 7

Ventura et al (2009): provided useful morphological data about position and shape of different speech articulators

Question 8

EPG to measure speech production

Answer 8

Displays timing and location of tongue contact with roof of mouth during continuous speech

Question 9

How is EPG used?

Answer 9

Custom made artificial palette which contains electrodes that register tongue contact

Question 10

Goal of measuring speech production

Answer 10

Further our understanding of normal and abnormal speech production and improving QoL for individuals with impaired communication

Question 11

Fisher et al (1998) KE Family study

Answer 11

Fisher et al (1998): KE family

• 15 members across 3 generations could understand spoken words but struggled to string words together to form response
• mutated FOXP2 gene

Question 12

Genetic basis of complex vocal articulation- family finding

Answer 12

Mutations in FOXP2 gene interfered with the part of the brain responsible for language development learning problems

Question 13

Watkins et al (2002) study on family members with aphasia

Answer 13

Family members and patients had similar profiles of impairment

Question 14

Stages to speaking

Answer 14

• activation of a concept
• selection of correct syntactic structure and words
• activation of a phonetic code
• coordination of many muscles to produce articulatory output

Question 15

Partial reason for no single all-inclusive model of speech production

Answer 15

Limited access to process as it occurs with our consciousness

Question 16

All models of speech production agree

Answer 16

• How linguistic components are retrieved and assembled during continuous speech
• linguistic information represented by distinctive units and hierarchy of levels

Question 17

Simple model of speech production (cognitive- levelt et al., 1999)

Answer 17

Conceptualisation, formulation and articulation

Question 18

Schriefers et al (1990): Evidence for simple model of speech production

Answer 18

Semantically related EARLY= slower to name picture
Phonologically related later= SLOWER
(Semantic interference)

Question 19

Evidence for simple model (Levanthal et al., 1999) suggests

Answer 19

Meaning is processed earlier than sounds

Question 20

Types of speech errors

Answer 20

Exchange, preservation, addition, subtraction, blend, deletion

Question 21

Speech error at semantic level

Answer 21

May occur when semantic unit is activated e.g ‘Blonde eyes’ instead of blonde hair

Question 22

Speech error at phonological level

Answer 22

A wrong phoneme is activated e.g hats and dogs instead of cats and dogs

Question 23

Criticism of sequential model (simple model) of speech

Answer 23

What about phonetic and semantic word errors e.g. Virtue of chastity rather than charity

Question 24

Parallel models of speech

Answer 24

Stages are simultaneous and not sequential

Question 25

Support for parallel models

Answer 25

Lexical bias effect- people more likely to make phoneme errors that end up in actual words than non-words

Question 26

Dell et al (1986) interactive model of speech production

Answer 26

4 layers=

1. Semantic
2. Syntactic
3. Morphological and phonological
4. Selected word

Question 27

Levelt et al (1999) criticism of parallel models/speech error evidence

Answer 27

Internal error monitor can explain speech errors, so do we really need a model?

Question 28

Speech production in the brain. Which area is most associated?

Answer 28

Broca’s area

Question 29

Indefery and Levelt (2004) how long for speech production

Answer 29

600ms in total

Question 30

A meta-analysis of 82 studies found which areas involved in speech production?

Answer 30

PET and FMRI majority

- superior, medial parietal lobe, right anterior, medial frontal lobe, anterior temporal lobes

Question 31

Motor theory of speech production argues

Answer 31

Motor representations are the primary unit of speech production

Question 32

Lieberman (1950) on speech motor system:

Answer 32

Involved in perception of speech and listening is a motor act

Question 33

Wilson et al (2004) FMRI study- motor theory

Answer 33

Listening to speech activated bilaterally a superior portion of the ventral pre motor cortex- largely overlapped Brodmann’s area 4a and 6

Question 34

Limitation of Wilson et al (2004) FMRI study (motor theory)

Answer 34

Scott et al (2009): no control group

Question 35

Pulvermuller et al (2006) motor theory finding

Answer 35

Overlap between areas involved in speech perception and speech production is articulatory-specific

Question 36

Meister et al (2007)TMS on pre motor cortex

Answer 36

% correct ID’s impaired due to disruption of human premotor cortex

Question 37

Yuen et al (2010) EPG & heard match/mismatching the syllable & distractor congruent/incongruent

Answer 37

Found subtle change in producing syllable (mismatching)

Incongruent distractors= greater alveolar contact vs congruent

Question 38

Scott et al (2009) critique of role of motor cortex in speech production

Answer 38

Neurological data show no correlation between speech categorisation
Speech production and perception dissociate in development
Motor cortex can be linked to speech in other ways e.g. Time taking essential in joint speech