bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A case for the importance of context for soundscape research in parks and protected areas.
Authors: Stanley G. (Randy) , Schomer Paul
Published: October 2013

Over the past decade or so, there have been a number of research studies, summarized herein, that indicate context is a potentially important intervening variable in assessing the soundscape in a park or wilderness area. Context is primarily provided by the corresponding visual landscape but may, in testing situations, be provided in other ways such as a verbal or written description. Context has been shown to be important in sound quality testing of automobile and product sounds, but its importance in assessing environmental sounds is less well documented. This paper discusses these various issues and suggests possible courses of action.
Evaluation of parametric array technology for acoustic landmine detection.
Authors: Korman Murray S. , Sarkady Antal A. , Tolle Frederick R.
Published: October 2013

There has been interest in using the parametric array for obtaining a highly directional low frequency source in acoustic landmine detection [M. S. Korman, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 122 (2007)]. Earlier experiments used a 0.5 m commercial parametric array made up of 70 elements located 1.5 m directly over the target. The array was driven by a 110–1100 Hz swept sine audio modulated 65 kHz tone. A VS 1.6 inert plastic antitank landmine was buried 2.5 cm deep in dry sifted masonry sand in a concrete box. The laser Doppler vibrometer to microphone rms response was sufficient to measure the “on target” to “off target” contrast ratios of 20 and 3 for peaks near 850 and 1050 Hz, respectively (upon signal averaging) but missed the largest peak near 150 Hz (where the SPL was 40 dB per 20 μPa) among others. Recent “forward looking” experiments aligned the array beam axis at 30° from grazing. Sweeping from 110–210 Hz (1600 points) at 16 s/sweep and signal averaging 20 sweeps produced a contrast ratio of 10 for resonance at 148 Hz. Considerable improvement in SPL is necessary in order to make this technology practical for low frequency applications. [Work supported by ARL.]
Range compensation function for echo integration in transducer near fields, with special reference to parametric sonar.
Authors: Foote Kenneth G.
Published: October 2013

Range compensation functions are applied to echo signals so that the corresponding range-compensated echo intensity equals the volume backscattering coefficient to within a multiplicative constant. For echo integration in a transducer far field, the transmit and receive pressure fields each decrease inversely with range r, and the well-known range compensation function, applied to intensity, is r2×10αr/5, where α is the absorption coefficient. For echo integration in a transducer near field, the range compensation function is that of the far field modified by a multiplying factor. This factor is, approximately, the ratio of the square of the surface integral of the field intensity at r due to extrapolation from the far field, assuming inverse range dependence of the amplitude, to the product of the surface integrals of transmit and receive intensities at r. This general range compensation function is developed for the special case of echo integration with a parametric sonar in which scatterers are ensonified in a region where the nonlinearly generated difference-frequency field is growing and echoes are received in the far field of a collocated, linearly operating transducer. It is evaluated numerically for the Kongsberg TOPAS PS18 parametric subbottom profiling sonar, with primary-frequency band 15–21 kHz and difference-frequency band 0.5–6 kHz.
Standard-target calibration of a parametric sonar over the difference-frequency band, 1–6 kilohertz.
Authors: Foote Kenneth G. , Dybedal Johnny , Tenningen Eirik
Published: October 2013

The Kongsberg TOPAS PS18 parametric sub-bottom profiling sonar operates over the frequency band 15–21 kHz, with nonlinearly generated difference-frequency radiation in the band 0.5–6 kHz. The TOPAS transducer mounted on R/V G. O. Sars is flush with the hull in the near-horizontal plane. The sonar has been calibrated by the standard-target method using a 280-mm diam sphere of aluminum alloy 6082 T6 [K. G. Foote et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 121, 1482–1490 (2007)]. The target was suspended beneath the vessel at each of three ranges, successively 100, 200, and 300 m. Because of conditions in Soerfolla fjord on Dec. 10, 2008, the target sphere was moving slowly relative to the vessel. Its instantaneous position was determined by geometrical considerations through synchronous observation with the Simrad EK60/38-kHz scientific echo sounder, with split-beam transducer mounted approximate to the TOPAS transducer. Data were collected for a number of parameter settings for each of three signal types: continuous wave, chirp, and Ricker pulse. Measurements are compared with predictions based on laboratory measurements of the frequency-dependent sensitivities of the parametric transmitter and conventional linear receiver, using a range-compensation function based on theoretical nearfield modeling. [Work partly supported by Norwegian Research Council Grant No. 184705.]
Evidence for dynamic cochlear processing in otoacoustic emissions and behavior.
Authors: Walsh Kyle P. , Pasanen Edward G. , McFadden Dennis
Published: October 2013

Psychophysical research suggests that active cochlear processing may partially explain temporal effects observed in certain auditory masking tasks [Strickland (2001), (2004)]. To investigate this possibility, this study examined the relationship between subjects’ psychophysical performance and the responses of their cochleas to the same stimulus waveforms. Stimulus-frequency otoacoustic emissions (SFOAEs) were recorded in the ear canal using a nonlinear procedure. The results showed that the nonlinear SFOAE to a brief tonal signal (4 kHz, 10 ms, 60 dB SPL) in a background noise (100–6000 Hz, 400 ms, 25 dB/Hz) increased in magnitude (with signal delay) over a similar time course to subjects’ improvement psychophysically in detecting the same signal. Manipulation of the noise bandwidth revealed that the increases in SFOAE magnitude and the improvement in psychophysical detection both were caused primarily by off-frequency components of the noise: lowpass components for SFOAEs, and lowpass or highpass components for psychophysics. These findings are consistent with a change in the slope of the cochlear input-output function from highly compressive to less compressive over the duration of the background noise, a change that might be attributable to negative feedback from the efferent system. [Work supported by NIDCD.]
Level-dependent changes in detection of a silent gap in fluctuating noise carriers.
Authors: Horwitz Amy R. , Ahlstrom Jayne B. , Dubno Judy R.
Published: October 2013

Changes in detection of a silent gap in a noise carrier with increasing carrier bandwidth and level may reveal effects of basilar-membrane nonlinearities on envelope fluctuations. Gap-detection thresholds are higher for narrowband than broadband noise carriers due to increased confusion between the imposed gap and inherent fluctuations of the narrowband noise. For narrowband more than broadband carriers, the “effective” magnitude of envelope fluctuations may be reduced by compressive effects of the active cochlear mechanism. To test these assumptions, detection of a gap was measured in 50-Hz-wide and 1000-Hz-wide noise carriers as a function of carrier level. Younger and older adults with normal and impaired hearing listened to carriers presented in quiet and in a low-fluctuation broadband masker. As carrier level increased, masker level also increased, maintaining a fixed difference between carrier and masker levels to minimize sensation-level effects on gap detection. For younger adults, gap detection measured in quiet improved as expected with increasing carrier level. Further, gap detection measured in the masker improved as carrier level increased for the 50-Hz carrier, but declined for the 1000-Hz carrier. Discussion will focus on effects of carrier level, bandwidth, subjects’ age and thresholds, and hypothesized relations to basilar-membrane nonlinearities. [Work supported by NIH/NIDCD.]
Role of slowness mapping in determining the directions of acoustic and seismic signals.
Authors: Shams Qamar A. , Weistroffer George R. , Stoughton John W. , Zuckerwar Allan J.
Published: October 2013

Slowness mapping is a method to estimate the angle of arrival of plane waves propagating across a sensor array. A review of time-delay estimation and its application to slowness vector estimation, the forward model, the inverse model, azimuth estimation, and elevation estimation will be presented. A method for performance grading with “out-of-bounds” conditions is described, and in the special case of subsurface acoustic sensors, a method for discriminating against seismic signals. The method has been applied to locate the direction of Space Shuttle and other rocket launches, infrasonic emissions from clear air turbulence, and incidental sources found in the environment.
Limited effects of early language learning on second language speech production.
Authors: Harada Tetsuo
Published: October 2013

Knightly et al. (2003) report long-term production benefits of childhood second language (L2) exposure in a naturalistic setting. However, it is unknown whether or not their finding will apply to classroom L2 learning. This study compares the production of voice onset time (VOT) in English and Japanese and closure duration of singletons and geminates in Japanese by English-speaking university students (n=15) who graduated from a Japanese immersion program (early learners) and adult learners of Japanese (n=15) with no exposure to Japanese in childhood (late learners). The informants were asked to repeat several target words including initial /p, t, k/ for VOT, and medial /p, t, k/ and /pp, tt, kk/ for singletons and geminates in a sentence frame. Both VOT of the initial stops and closure duration of the medial stops were measured. The results show that the production of VOT and closure duration by the early learners was not significantly different from that of the late learners (p=0.71 and p=0.13, respectively). The findings may hypothesize that there are only limited effects of classroom L2 exposure in childhood on L2 speech production in adulthood. [Work supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) 20520527.]
Effect of word length on vowel production by Mandarin and American speakers: Comparison of [i] and [ɪ].
Authors: Yang Chung-Lin
Published: October 2013

Yang (2008) found that Mandarin speakers’ productions of [eɪ] and [ε] (as in gate-get) showed much less difference than Americans made. In addition, they made a smaller distinction in disyllables than in monosyllables. The current study compares the production of [i] and [ɪ] (beat-bit) in the same conditions. Target-vowels were embedded in Stop-V-Stop context in carrier sentences. Vowel durations were measured after stop release until final closure. Formant measurements were made at two time-points for each token. Preliminary analysis extends previous results of reduced contrast between tense and lax vowels by the Mandarin speakers to vowels [i]-[ɪ] and also shows greater reduction of the contrast in disyllabic words relative to monosyllables. The Mandarin speakers’ formants for [i]-[ɪ] were almost identical in the disyllabic words, and their duration ratios were not significantly different, whereas American speakers’ measurements were very different between two vowels and the same in disyllables as monosyllables. The current study provides further evidence for an effect of word length on English vowel contrasts by Mandarin speakers.
Short-term cross-linguistic interactions in bilinguals’ vowel production.
Authors: Carlson Matthew T. , Nusbaum Howard , Heald Shannon L.
Published: October 2013

Evidence suggests that the languages of a bilingual interact, and research has examined how first language (L1) phonetic categories influence second language (L2) acquisition. Although there may be substantial cross-linguistic interaction in the early stages of L2 learning, less is known about acoustic-phonetic variability when the bilingual’s systems are more stable. This study examines L1 and L2 phonetic interaction, testing how the production of vowels in one language affects vowel production in the other. L1 and L2 vowel productions are compared for late English-Spanish bilinguals in an English-dominant environment. Five Spanish vowels and their English equivalents are examined. Subjects completed two experimental sessions, focusing respectively on L1 and L2, on separate days. Each session contained three blocks in which subjects produced vowels in isolation: two blocks in the target language separated by a block in the non-target language. Word cues were given to ensure the proper language for each block. Productions from first and third blocks of each session (i.e., in the same language) are compared to determine if intervening use of the other language affects subsequent vowel production. Implications are discussed for L1 and L2 phonetic representation, the status of a bilingual’s languages, and second language acquisition.
Korean listeners’ perception of consonant clusters in English.
Authors: Yun Gwanhi
Published: October 2013

Perception experiments were conducted to see whether Korean listeners perceive the illusionary vowel in the legitimate sequence of English consonants, especially in onset positions. Korean listeners were presented three types of licit consonant clusters in English (e.g., sC in spee; Cy in kyoo; obstruent + approximant in plee) and had to choose between the original sequence and vowel-repaired sequence. First, Korean listeners did not perceive the illusionary inserted vowel between two consonants with all three types of onset clusters (sC, Cy, OA). Perception of the insertion of unmarked vowel was obtained only 20.1 %, while consonant clusters (disallowed in Korean) were not repaired in perception. Second, perceptual repair with illusive vowels was adopted the most in the sequence of obstruents and approximants (pree; 36 %), next of s+consonant (spee; 20%), and the least of Cy sequences (pyoo; 15%). Our result indicates that loanword phonology might be primarily computed on the basis of the phonological grammar of the borrowing language rather than perceptual assimilation based on phonetic-fine representation [Peperkamp et al. (2008)] . Further, it shows that perceptual repair by illusory vowels in the illicit onset clusters are gradual, not categorical unlike phonetic implementation of loanword phonology.
Adaptation of tandem hidden Markov models for non-speech audio event detection.
Authors: Hasegawa-Johnson Mark , Zhuang Xiaodan , Zhou Xi , Goudeseune Camille , Huang Thomas
Published: October 2013

Non-speech audio event detection (AED) could be used for low-cost, spatially diffuse surveillance applications, e.g., monitoring of vehicle activity in a national park, or of footsteps in a hallway. Experiments have shown that non-speech AED benefits from the dynamic inference strategies such as the hidden Markov model (HMM), but that the acoustic features useful for non-speech events may not be the same as those useful for speech. One possible solution is a tandem HMM: an HMM whose observation vector is constructed from the output of an instantaneous discriminative classifier, e.g., a neural network. The use of tandem HMMs for non-speech AED is hindered, however, by the relatively small size of most non-speech-audio training corpora. This talk will demonstrate that tandem HMMs can be trained to detect non-speech audio events using a novel form of regularized training: Baum–Welch back-propagation (as proposed by Bengio et al.), using the conjugate-gradient adaptive form of the Baum–Welch auxiliary function (as proposed by Lee et al., and as commonly used in maximum a posteriori HMM adaptation).
Exact and approximate techniques for scattering from targets embedded in a layered medium.
Authors: Abawi Ahmad T. , Porter Michael B.
Published: October 2013

To be able to accurately compute scattering from a target embedded in a layered medium (waveguide), the scattering and propagation problems must be solved as a single boundary value problem. This is accomplished by solving the wave equation in an environment that contains both the target and the waveguide and satisfying boundary conditions on the surface of the target and the boundaries of the waveguide. One way that this can be accomplished is by the use of the virtual source technique, which replaces the target with a collection of sources whose amplitudes are determined from the boundary conditions on the surface of the target. This method converts the problem of scattering from a target in a waveguide to a multisource propagation problem. In this paper, the virtual source technique is used to compute scattering from a target in a waveguide and various ways to speed up computation are examined. These include the use of various propagation models to propagate the field produced by the virtual sources to the receiver. Various solutions are compared and the advantages and disadvantages of each model are discussed.
Bistatic and monostatic scattering from elastic structures using boundary element methods in free space and near plane boundaries.
Authors: Burgschweiger Ralf , Ochmann Martin , Schaefer Ingo
Published: October 2013

The bistatic and monostatic numerical calculation of the pressure scattered from structures composed of elastic materials and possibly filled with another material is one of the main purposes for the detection of underwater objects. For this reason, the sound pressure scattered from spherical objects placed in and filled with fluid will be calculated in the frequency domain. The results of an in-house developed BEM-package which supports single and multiple fluid-structure-interactions will be compared with analytical solutions based on spherical wave functions and with results of commercial BEM/FEM applications. Performance optimizations of the calculation process for the uncoupled rigid and coupled monostatic case as a result of using a parallelized matrix creation and solution with a specific variant of the direct solving process will be presented. We will also compare results for a cubic structure, placed in water above a finite plane boundary, with an equivalent half-space solution that incorporates a suitable half-space Green’s function and could be used for fast approximations in the mid- and high-frequency range.
Bistatic scattering from underwater unexploded ordinance and the impact of burial.
Authors: Bucaro Joseph A. , Houston Brian H. , Kraus Larry , Simpson Harry J. , Calvo David C. , Dragonette Louis R.
Published: October 2013

Interest in exploring various sonar approaches for detecting underwater unexploded ordnance (UXO) has been growing in large part because of the strong support of the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP). Among the many issues now being explored are the following two fundamental questions: what are the broadband acoustic scattering characteristics associated with typical submerged UXO, and how are these impacted by the bottom sediment? Recently, the authors reported laboratory grade, monostatic acoustic scattering measurements on UXO targets in the free field. In the present study, further echo measurements are obtained on UXO both to infer what merits may exist for exploiting bistatic echo responses as well as to address the effect of sediment on the target echo characteristics. The measurements, which were carried out in the NRL sediment pool laboratory and free-field facilities, include bistatic free-field scattering for three source directions viz. 0°, 45°, and 90°, and bistatic measurements in the sediment facility with the target proud, half-buried, and fully buried. The data suggest that access to bistatic echo information in operations aimed at detecting submerged UXO-like targets could provide an important capability, especially for buried targets. [Work supported by SERDP and ONR.]
The acoustic shell of the Plaza de La Fe in Managua, Nicaragua.
Authors: Altermatt Russ
Published: October 2013

The Plaza de La Fe, the Plaza to the Faith, of Pope John Paul II, in Managua, Nicaragua, is the site of many celebrations for the people of Nicaragua. At one end of the plaza, a performance, acoustic shell was constructed as a focus for performances in the plaza. The acoustic shell has a very large capacity, for full orchestra and choir, at a minimum. It supports multiple band setups on the same stage depending on the celebration requirements. The shell is used for all types of performances and presentations, be they multiband, dance, classical music, or speech. In spite of significant concavity of the overall design, the shell elements were also molded to provide directional sound reflections both to the plaza and to the performers on the stage. This presentation will show the progress of the project from design, through construction. The acoustic shell was inaugurated with an attendance of over 100,000 in Jan. 2005.
Classroom sound systems: Not a Green substitute for proper classroom acoustics.
Authors: Riedel Richard F.
Published: October 2013

The author will discuss the negative environmental impact that individual classroom sound systems create when used as a substitute for good acoustical design. School systems are being targeted by marketers of classroom sound systems and being convinced that they are a cost effective al-ternative to the standards that are put forth by ANSI S12.60-2002. This paper presents estimates of the potential waste that is created by these systems through future disposal of outdated technology and batteries used in these devices. The presentation will put forth suggestions for the dissemination of this information by interested parties to schools in their immediate vicinity.
Noise-resistant acoustic measurements implemented in user-friendly software.
Authors: Mellinger David K.
Published: October 2013

Searching for vocalizations in lengthy marine recordings can be significantly enhanced by annotations indicating times, frequencies, and other characteristics of calls. Defining optimal search features, however, is difficult. For instance, one may wish to find harbor seal “roar” vocalizations, which extend up to 6 kHz, last 3–10 s, and have a broadband, non-tonal sound quality. What features best characterize such sounds? Marine recordings often contain vocalizations recorded at low signal-to-noise ratios, and it is essential that call measurements be consistent across different background noise levels. For instance, bandwidth is traditionally measured by manually indicating lower and upper frequency bounds in a spectrogram, and then subtracting the two. However, for vocalizations that fade at higher frequencies, like harbor seal roars, such bandwidth measurements can vary by a factor of three from low-noise to high-noise environments. Here we describe measurements, based principally on Fristrup’s “Acoustat” approach, that have consistent values at variable noise levels. For instance, bandwidth is measured as the standard deviation of frequency, weighted by the per-frequency-bin normalized intensity. A set of noise-robust measurements have been implemented, including measures for duration, amplitude and frequency modulation, and many others. Implementation of these measurements in easy-to-use Ishmael and MATLAB software is described.
The challenge of nonlinear dynamics in understanding mammalian vocalization.
Authors: Owren Michael J.
Published: October 2013

Recent advances in vocal-fold physiology have shown that nonlinear dynamics play a central, but largely unexplored role in mammalian vocalization. Understanding that role is crucial to coming to grips with vocal signaling as a form of communication, as the “nonlinear phenomena” associated with coupled-oscillator systems like the larynx strongly shape their acoustic output. Those acoustics in turn are necessarily central to understanding both signaler and perceiver roles in the communication process. Issues that are fundamentally affected by the nonlinear nature of mammalian vocalization include categorizing sounds in acoustics and perception, breaking a repertoire into constituent call-types, understanding the identity cuing potential of various sound-types, and the relative roles of cognition and emotion in vocal production and perception. However, progress is being impeded by a general lack of accessible, quantitatively based, and objective tools to help in detecting, identifying, and measuring nonlinear phenomena in vocalizations. So far, researchers trying to include such events in their analyses have been limited to visual inspection of spectrograms, subjective classification, and simple counting. A pressing need thus exists for development of accessible, yet necessarily rather sophisticated tools for use in identifying and measuring occurrences of nonlinear phenomena in mammalian vocal acoustics.
Using sound radiation to characterize binary collisions of polypropylene balls.
Authors: Riner J. , Petculescu A.
Published: October 2013

An acoustic method to check the validity of Hertz’s law and characterize the source characteristics of binary collisions is proposed. The technique uses a goniometer equipped with a microphone to detect the sound produced by collisions between two solid polypropylene balls. The collisions are the result of a projectile ball falling from rest and striking a rigidly mounted target ball. The acoustic field in both the horizontal and the vertical plane is sampled and the maximum and minimum pressures, as well as frequency content, are studied. The power spectrum has a dominant peak at approximately 10 kHz. Radiation in the horizontal plane is found to be mostly symmetric about the collision point while there is an observed asymmetry in the vertical plane, which can be used to infer the characteristics of the source of audible sound. The acoustic signals are likely generated by the relative accelerations of the two balls and not by the normal vibrational modes, which were measured to start at about 73 kHz. [Work funded by the Louisiana Board of Regents.]
Acoustic cavities with radial sonic crystals.
Authors: Torrent Daniel , Sánchez-Dehesa José
Published: October 2013

Radial sonic crystals in two and three dimensions are introduced. These materials have the property of leaving the acoustic wave equation invariant under radial displacements, and then they present a “radial band structure” similar to that of one dimensional sonic crystals. Finite shells of radial sonic crystals can be used as resonant cavities. The radiation pattern of these cavities will be reported. For example, it will be shown that a cavity can be used as a dipolar source by placing a monopole inside the cavity. Finally, physical realization of radial sonic crystals is discussed in two and three dimensions [Work supported by Spanish MICIIN and Consolider Program.]
The effects of scattering from heterogeneities in porosity during sound propagation through sand sediments.
Authors: Hefner Brian T. , Jackson Darrell R. , Calantoni Joseph
Published: October 2013

Sand sediments are inherently heterogeneous due to the random packing of the grains. For sound propagation through fluid-saturated sediments, these heterogeneities may lead to scattering from the coherent fast compressional wave into incoherent slow compressional waves or shear waves. This loss of energy from the fast compressional wave may account for the increase in high-frequency attenuation above that predicted by Biot theory. In a previous talk, we presented preliminary results of applying perturbation theory to Biot theory in order to model scattering from heterogeneities in the porosity [Hefner et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 120, 3098 (2006)]. This theory has since been refined to properly account for scattering into both the slow compressional wave and the shear wave. In order to apply this theory to a given sand sediment, knowledge of the covariance function for the spatial variations in the porosity is required. Results of the theory will be presented for several different analytic covariance functions, as well as for covariance functions measured in simulated and real unconsolidated granular materials.
Production of disyllabic Mandarin tones by children.
Authors: Wong Puisan , Strange Winifred
Published: October 2013

Two- to six-year-old children’s productions of Mandarin lexical tones in familiar disyllabic words were examined to determine the time course of tone development and the effect of complexity of fundamental frequency contours (f0) on rate of acquisition. Disyllabic tone (DT) productions of 44 children and 12 of their mothers were elicited in a picture naming task and were low-pass filtered to eliminate lexical information. Judges categorized the DTs based on the filtered stimuli without lexical support. Adults’ and children’s DTs were categorized with 96% and 65% accuracy, respectively. Tone accuracy increased while intersubject variability decreased with age. Children as old as 6 years did not attain adultlike accuracy. Different DT combinations developed at different rates. DTs with more complex f0 contours were more difficult for children. Substitution patterns and acoustic analysis revealed that when producing tones with large transitions at the syllable boundary, children tended to modify the f0 in the first syllable to reduce the f0 shift at the boundary of the first and second syllable, resulting in more errors in the tones in the first syllable than in the second syllable. The results suggest physiological constraints on tone development. [Work supported by NIH 5F31DC8470 and NSF.]
A twin study of speech perception and production in first and second language among Chinese children learning English as a second language.
Authors: Wong Simpson Wai-Lap , Bishop Dorothy , Ho Connie Suk-Han
Published: October 2013

The faculty of language processing in our brain develops with the constraint of our genetic dispositions and also our experiences. Do the same genetic influences affect learning of phonology in L1 and L2? This study examines the genetic and environmental effects on the individual differences on L1 and L2 speech perception and production among Chinese children learning English as a second language. By employing a twin-study design, 150 pairs of monozygotic and 150 pairs of same-sex dizygotic twins aged from 4 to 11 were tested. Children’s speech perception and production in both languages were assessed with an AXB speech perception task of minimal word pairs and two picture naming tasks, respectively. Children’s nonverbal IQ was also measured. Scores of accuracy will be computed for each task. Analyses will be conducted to consider the relationship between accuracy in perception and production in L1 and L2, to estimate the extent of genetic contribution to speech perception, and to determine whether heritable individual differences are accounted for by a common factor, or whether different factors influence proficiency in L1 and L2.
Lexical frequency, orthographic information, and first-language effects on second-language pronunciation.
Authors: Thomson Ron I. , Isaacs Talia
Published: October 2013

In L2 speech learning, lexical frequency may play a facilitative role, whereby perception and production of sounds found in high-frequency lexical items will develop before the perception and production of the same categories found in low-frequency lexical items (see Munro and Derwing, 2008). Orthographic information may also facilitate learning by disambiguating L2 sounds (see Erdener and Burnham, 2005), particularly in known words. This study examines the role of lexical frequency, orthographic information, and a learner’s L1 in the development of L2 speech perception and production. Thirty-eight Mandarin and Slavic participants were asked to repeat a word list comprising ten target English vowels, each embedded in three separate monosyllabic verbs and varying in lexical frequency. Recordings of the L2 productions were obtained under three counter-balanced conditions: (1) after hearing an auditory prompt accompanied by the written form of the word; (2) after hearing an auditory prompt with no written form provided; and (3) with no auditory prompt but the written form provided. To measure L2 performance, L1 English listeners were asked to identify the vowel they perceived in each recorded item. Results were examined to determine what influence lexical frequency and orthographic information might have had on L2 performance.
The perception of speech and nonspeech analogs by first- and second-language speakers.
Authors: Iverson Paul , Wagner Anita , Rosen Stuart
Published: October 2013

There are marked differences in how native speakers of Sinhala and English perceive the English /w/-/v/ distinction; Sinhala speakers who have learned English as a second language are typically near chance at identification and have less than half the discrimination sensitivity of native English speakers. This poor discrimination ability is remarkable because the acoustic cues for /w/ and /v/ are varied, being contrastive in formant frequencies, amount of frication, and amplitude envelopes. The present project explored these differences in auditory sensitivity by manipulating speech and nonspeech stimuli, with the aim of investigating how close an auditory stimulus needs to be to natural speech in order for cross-language perceptual differences to emerge. Synthesized VCV speech stimuli were created to model natural recordings. Nonspeech stimuli were created by removing dynamics from the stimuli (e.g., flat pitch and amplitude, no formant movement), producing a “buzz” that was acoustically similar to the speech stimuli. Discrimination results for these stimuli will be reported for native speakers of Sinhala and English, in order to evaluate whether cross-language specialization for speech may occur at a precategorical auditory-phonetic level of processing, or whether specialization is contingent on the stimuli being perceived as intelligible speech.
The relationship between speech perception and production in second language learners.
Authors: Cheng Bing , Zhang Yang
Published: October 2013

This study aims to examine the relationship between perception and production skills in second language learners. Thirty-nine Chinese college students who have received at least eight years of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) education in school participated in the study. The data were collected using two programs: HearSay from Communication Disorders Technology Inc., Indiana, and a perceptual test program developed by Yang Zhang at the University of Minnesota. Digital recordings of each participant’s production of the individual words used in the perceptual test program were rated in the scale of 1 to 5 by two native speakers of English. Results demonstrated the existence of complex relationships between perception and production in ESL learners. Overall, the consonants demonstrated a significant positive correlation between perception and production (p<0.01) with voicing showing strongest effect. Vowels, on the other hand, did not show significant correlations in any of the five categories examined: tense/lax, high/low, front/back, diphthong, and vowel insertions. Four patterns were identified for the individual phonemes: (a) good perception and good production, (b) poor perception and poor production, (c) good perception and poor production, and (d) poor perception and good production. The results are discussed with respect to speech learning models and practical instructional approaches.
Comparison between Japanese children and adult’s perception of prosodic politeness expressions.
Authors: Shochi Takaaki , Erickson Donna , Rilliard Albert , Sekiyama Kaoru , Auberge Veronique
Published: October 2013

Previous work examined the contribution of audio and visual modalities for perception of Japanese social affects by adults. The results showed audio and visual information contribute to the perception of culturally encoded expressions, and show an important synergy when presented together. Multimodal presentation allows foreign adult listeners to recognize culturally encoded expressions of Japanese politeness which they cannot recognize with an audio-only stimuli. This current work analyzes the recognition performance of politeness expressions by Japanese children 13 to 14 years old. Stimuli, based on one sentence with an affectively neutral meaning, are performed with five different expressions of politeness. Subjects listen three times to each stimulus and judge the intended message of the speaker. The stimuli are presented as audio-only, visual-only, audio-visual. Listeners rate the social status of the hearer and the degree of politeness on a nine-point scale ranging from polite to impolite. The results are analyzed to capture the relative ability of adults and children to use both modalities to recognize social affects. [This work was supported in part by Japanese Ministry of Education, Science, Sport, and Culture, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) (2007–2010): 19520371 and SCOPE (071705001) of Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan.]
Do you want to pronounce correctly in a foreign language? Start music lessons!.
Authors: Pastuszek-Lipinska Barbara E.
Published: October 2013

Music education is one of the human activities that requires the integration of all human senses and the involvement of all cognitive processes: sensory, perceptual, and cognitive learning, memory, emotion, and auditory and motor processes, music has tended to figure only marginally in an approach to second-language acquisition. In the presentation will be reviewed recent research results on the influence of music lessons on second language speech processing. The presentation will draw a comparison between second language acquisition processes and first language acquisition processes. It will be also provided concise review of the possible explanations of the influence of music on second language speech processing. The review will include acoustic, phonological, neuroscientific, and psycholinguistic approaches.
Mandarin-English bilinguals’ accented first-language (L1) vowel production.
Authors: Jiang Haisheng
Published: October 2013

The L1 phonetic categories established in childhood may undergo modification when similar L1 and L2 sounds interact in the process of L2 learning [J. Flege, Speech perception and linguistic experience: Issues in cross-language research (1995)]. In this study, Mandarin vowel production by the Mandarin-English bilinguals was presented to Mandarin as well as English listeners for goodness rating. The results showed that both Mandarin-English bilinguals of high L1 use and those of low L1 use differed significantly from Mandarin monolinguals in the production of /y/, a vowel with no counterpart in English. An analysis of inter-speaker variability indicated that some individual Mandarin-English bilinguals, including both speakers of high L1 and low L1 use, were accented in the production of /y/, /aj/, and /au/. Possible acoustic properties contributing to their accentedness were identified. L2 English learning led to some Mandarin-English bilinguals carrying some English characteristics in their L1 Mandarin vowel production. This study provides further evidence for the claim that the L1 phonetic system established in childhood is susceptible to change. It contributes to the less well-studied field of L2 influence on L1.
The effect of accent on toddlers’ story comprehension and word recognition.
Authors: Barker Brittan A. , Meyer Lindsay E.
Published: October 2013

The current study sought to enrich the developmental research and contribute to the ever-growing knowledge about talker-specific spoken language processing by examining the affect of accent on toddlers’ ability to comprehend a story. A total of 24 children aged 30–42 months participated in the first study employing a between-subjects design. Talker accent (native versus non-native) served as the independent variable and story comprehension accuracy served as the dependent variable. It was predicted that the children listening to the story in their native accent would perform significantly better on the comprehension task than those listening to the non-native accent. The hypothesis was not supported; there was no significant difference between the listeners’ performance [t(22)=.169, p>.05]. An ongoing, follow-up study was conducted to further explore the surprising results. The affect of accent on word recognition skills in these same children is currently being tested. The complete data set of the second study will be presented. It is hypothesized that the toddlers will have significantly more difficulty recognizing the words spoken in a non-native accent. These results would echo previous talker-specific word recognition results [Ryalls and Pisoni (1997)] and suggest that talker-specific information may affect low-level speech perception but not higher-level language comprehension.
Maintenance of /e-ε/ in word-final position as a phonemic and morphemic contrast in Canadian French.
Authors: Law Franzo , Strange Winifred
Published: October 2013

Many dialects of French have merged /e-ε/ to /e/ in word-final context. The present study investigated the stability of this contrast in Canadian French. Productions of four Canadian French-dominant speakers (two monolingual, two bilingual) were recorded and analyzed. Real (e.g., “thé”) and nonsense (e.g., “gispais”) words ending with /e/ or /ε/ were used, as well as real and nonsense verbs distinguished morphosyntactically by the same vowel contrast (e.g., first person singular future “parlerai” versus first person singular conditional “parlerais”), all embedded in carrier sentences. Results showed that participants maintained spectral and duration distinction for the vowel contrast when preceded by labial, coronal, and back stops in real and nonsense words. All participants showed varying degrees of coarticulation for /e/ when preceded by /r/; /e/ was spectrally lower than in other contexts. Three of the four participants maintained a stable distinction in morphosyntactic context: monolinguals exhibited the best retention of the distinction, whereas the bilinguals had partially or completely overlapping distributions, merging /e-ε/ to /ε/, not /e/. These patterns suggest difficulties in perception of this contrast for English late L2 learners of French, due to the fact that this contrast is not phonotactically possible in English. [Work supported by NIH F31DC008075.]
Native and non-native vocal imitation by vocalists and nonvocalists.
Authors: Gottfried Terry L. , Hayden LaDonna
Published: October 2013

Several studies [e.g., Slevc and Miyaki, Psychol. Sci. 17, 675–681 (2006)] have demonstrated that musical ability predicts phonological accuracy in second language learning. The present study examined whether vocal musicians’ diction training affected their immediate imitation of familiar (English nonwords) and unfamiliar (Mandarin) syllables. Participants were 19 nonmusic majors (recruited from introductory linguistics) and 19 vocal music majors (who had completed three of four vocal diction classes). All participants heard a list of eight English nonwords and eight Mandarin words from a recording and repeated each word or nonword to the best of their ability. These recordings were rated (by two bilingual judges) on the overall accuracy of word repetition and vowel and consonant accuracy. Participants, regardless of group, repeated English nonwords more accurately than Mandarin words. Vocalists repeated both English nonwords and Mandarin words more accurately than the nonvocalists. This could indicate that vocalists’ experience in diction training improved their ability to repeat any speech sound. Acoustical analyses of these vocal imitations are currently being conducted, and future studies will examine whether musicians without diction training are better than nonmusicians in vocal imitation.
Vowel duration in Mexican heritage English.
Authors: Konopka Kenneth , Pierrehumbert Janet
Published: October 2013

Mexican heritage English (MHE) speakers in Chicago comprise a unique population of native English speakers; their speech is often regarded by non-ethnic (NE) speakers as Spanish-accented English in spite of the fact that they may have low or no proficiency in Spanish. Vowels were analyzed from recordings of wordlist readings by MHE, NE, and adult Mexican ESL speakers (L2E) from a single Chicago community (N=15F, 10F, and 12F, respectively). The analyses indicate that MHE vowel durations correspond to NE durations for the dimoraic (long) vowels, but correspond to the Spanish-accented vowels of L2E for the monomoraic (short) vowels. Thus the range of duration between short and long vowels is compressed for MHE vowels, reflecting the NE norm for long vowels, and the Spanish-influenced minimum for short vowels. Sociophoneticians often rely on vowel formant frequency plots to provide a quantitative measure of dialect identity that may correlate with a variety of regional and social factors. The current study provides evidence that vowel duration is a phonological contrast in the MHE dialect that reflects the influence of language contact on vowel properties that are not captured by vowel plots alone.
Foreign accented speech: Energetic or informational masking?
Authors: Calandruccio Lauren , Yuen Christina , Dhar Sumitrajit , Bradlow Ann
Published: October 2013

Normal-hearing monolingual listeners whose native language is English experience a release from masking when the competing speech stimuli are spoken in a language other than English [e.g., K. J. Van Engen and A. R. Bradlow, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 121, 519 (2007)]. It is unclear whether this release is due to the fact that the masking speech is not spectrally matched to the target speech (energetic influence), or that listeners are unable to understand the masking speech and therefore find it less “distracting” when spoken in a non-native language (informational influence). This study investigates listeners’ recognition of English speech presented in the presence of a continuum of five two-talker babble maskers. The two-talker maskers (all created using male voices) include English babble, Mandarin-accented English babble with high intelligibility, Mandarin-accented English babble with moderate intelligibility, Mandarin-accented English babble with low intelligibility, and Mandarin babble. We hypothesize that, due to increased informational masking across the accented English continuum (from unaccented to heavily accented) in the masker speech, we will observe a increase in the target English speech intelligibility. These data will provide insight into the balance of energetic and informational influences on the release in masking observed for monolingual listeners when listening to English in a noncompeting masker language.
Perception of Arabic and Japanese vowel length contrasts by native versus non-native Japanese listeners.
Authors: Tsukada Kimiko , Hirata Yukari
Published: October 2013

The perception of short versus long vowel contrasts in Arabic and Japanese was examined for native Japanese [(NJ), n=5] and non-native Japanese [(NNJ), n=5] listeners. The length contrast is phonemic in both languages. The question addressed was whether experience with Japanese helps NNJs to process the length contrast in Arabic. The listeners’ discrimination accuracy was assessed in an AXB test. The stimuli were CV1C words in Arabic and CV1CV words in Japanese (where V1 was either short or long). As expected, NJs were more accurate than NNJs in discriminating the Japanese contrast. While NJs made more errors in Arabic than Japanese, NNJs showed a similar level of discrimination accuracy for the two languages. Finally, the number of errors for the Arabic stimuli was comparable for NJs and NNJs. Thus, the between-group difference existed for the Japanese but not for the Arabic contrast. The possibility that familiarity with phonetic characteristics of a recently acquired language may influence the processing of sounds in an unknown language with similar characteristics to the target language will be discussed. Native Arabic perception is currently under investigation. [Work supported by Macquarie University New Staff grant.]