Predicting accentedness: Acoustic measurements of chinese-accented english

Authors

  • Vincent Porretta Dept of Linguistics, University of Alberta, AB T6G 2E, Canada
  • Benjamin V. Tucker Dept. of Linguistics, University of Alberta, AB T6G 2E7, Canada

Keywords:

Acoustic measurements, Acoustic targets, Formant values, Non-native, Ordinary least squares, Voice onset time, Vowel space

Abstract

Listeners perceive foreign-accented speech as different from native speech because it deviates from native speaker acoustic targets. These deviations may occur across many acoustic dimensions such as word duration, vowel duration, vowel formant values, and voice onset time. Accentedness ratings were modeled using ordinary least squares linear regression performed in R using the rms package. Prior to analysis, formant values were log transformed and plotted revealing considerable variation in vowel space. The vowel-to-word ratio was calculated by dividing the vowel duration of a word by the total duration of that word. If accentedness is a result of non-native productions approaching to varying degrees native-like acoustic targets, quantifying the distance from the native speaker norm allows examination of how variation along different variables affects perceived accentedness.

Additional Files

Published

2012-09-01

How to Cite

1.
Porretta V, Tucker BV. Predicting accentedness: Acoustic measurements of chinese-accented english. Canadian Acoustics [Internet]. 2012 Sep. 1 [cited 2024 Oct. 3];40(3):34-5. Available from: https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/2526

Issue

Vol. 40 No. 3 (2012)

Section

Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada

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