Enhancement between voice onset time (VOT) and F0: Evidence from Kera voicing perception

Authors: 
Issue Date: 
2006
Date Created: 
2006
Publisher: 
Acoustical Society of America
Conference: 
Acoustical Society of America, 151st Meeting, 6–9 June 2006, Providence, Rhode Island
Is Part Of Series: 
Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, Volume 119(5)
Extent: 
page 3269
Abstract: 
Previous research on production data from Kera a Chadic tone language has shown that tone plays a major contrastive role,whereas VOT has a lesser role which could indicate an ‘‘enhancing’’ relationship. This paper investigates the roles of VOT and F0 in Kera voicing perception, and compares this to the nontonal language English. Fifteen Kera and 15 English subjects were given voicing judgment tasks over 200 tokens that had been manipulated in PRAAT to cover a range of VOT and F0 values. The results show a marked difference in English and Kera perception reflecting the phonological differences between the two languages. For Kera,F0 is of major importance, while the VOT plays a lesser role in the judgment. The present findings are consistent with a view that whereas in English, the VOT is contrastive and F0 arguably acts as an enhancing cue, in Kera, the tone is the main contrastive cue to voicing perception while the VOT values enhance the tone cues. A bonus finding from the perception tests is that the relationship between VOT and F0 in Kera voicing perception tasks depends on their exposure to French during childhood.
Description: 
Paper given as an invited speaker for Session 2aSC, Speech Communication: Enhancement and Multiplicity of Cues in Speech, 151st Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America.
Publication Status: 
Published
Country: 
Chad
Subject Languages: 
Content Language: 
Field: 
Work Type: 
Nature of Work: 
Entry Number: 
53610