Compensatory Articulation Patterns of a Surgically Treated Oral Cancer Patient

1982 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah A. Georgian ◽  
Jeri A. Logemann ◽  
Hilda B. Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Radical Neck Dissection ◽  
Acoustic Properties ◽  
Synthetic Speech ◽  
Stop Consonants ◽  
Surgical Closure ◽  
Vowel Context ◽  
Floor Of The Mouth ◽  
Computer Aided

Acoustic, physiologic, and perceptual data on the articulation of bilabial and alveolar stop consonants in CVC words spoken by a subject with a 20% glossectomy, 2/3-mandibulectomy and radical neck dissection, whose surgical closure was accomplished by suturing the tongue to the floor of the mouth and buccal mucosa are provided. Compensatory articulation patterns were identified from tracings of vocal tract shapes obtained by videofluoroscopy, Acoustic analysis was accomplished by means of computer-aided examination of the speech waveform. Compensatory for articulation of the stop consonants were characterized by varying degrees of labial protrusion and retraction, dependent on the vowel context. Distinction between the bilabial and tip-alveolar consonants was evidenced in lingual-velar closure vs. lingual-velar-palatal closure. These compensatory patterns are discussed in relation to the acoustic properties of the corresponding speech sounds obtained from synthetic speech samples and in relation to perceptual data obtained from trained listeners.

Ear Differences in the Recall of Fricatives and Vowels

1971 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Darwin
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Synthetic Speech ◽  
Acoustic Cues ◽  
Phonetic Category ◽  
Response Class ◽  
Ear Advantage ◽  
Phonetic Features ◽  
Right Ear Advantage ◽  
The Right

Two experiments on the free recall of dichotically presented synthetic speech sounds are reported. The first shows that the right ear advantage for initial fricative consonants is not simply a function of the recognition response class, but that it is also a function of the particular acoustic cues used to achieve that response. This is true both for the whole response, and for the constituent phonetic features. The second experiment shows that when both the response class and the particular stimuli presented on certain trials are held constant, the right ear advantage for the constant stimuli can be influenced by the range of other stimuli occurring in the experiment. Vowels show a right ear advantage when, within the experiment, there is uncertainty as to vocal tract size, but they show no ear advantage when all the vowels in the experiment are from the same vocal tract. These results are interpreted as demonstrating that there are differences between the ears, and probably between the hemispheres, at some stage between the acoustic analysis of the signal and its identification as a phonetic category.

scholarly journals Effect of emphasis spread on coronal stop articulation in Qatari Arabic

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Vladimir Kulikov ◽  
Fatemeh Mohsenzadeh ◽  
Rawand Syam
Keyword(s):  
Speech Production ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Voice Onset Time ◽  
Spectral Characteristics ◽  
Onset Time ◽  
Acoustic Properties ◽  
Stop Consonants ◽  
Gulf Arabic ◽  
Complete Transformation

Emphasis (contrastive uvularisation) in Arabic spreads from an emphatic consonant to neighboring segments (Davis 1995). The effect of emphasis spread on a consonant is manifested as lowering of its spectral mean (Jongman et al. 2011). Although stop consonants reveal a strong effect of emphasis, it is not known how emphasis spread affects other acoustic properties of stops, e.g. voice onset time (VOT). Previous studies (Kulikov 2018) showed that VOT and emphasis are linked in speech production: plain /t/ in Gulf Arabic is aspirated; emphatic /ṭ/ has short-lag VOT. Phonological theory predicts that plain /t/ should become more emphatic in emphatic context, which might reduce stop VOT as well. The current study investigates the effect of emphasis spread on VOT in word-initial coronal stops in Qatari Arabic. The stimuli, produced by sixteen native speakers of Qatari Arabic, contained target plain and emphatic stops /t/, /ṭ/ followed by short or long low vowel, and plain coronal obstruents /t, s, ð/ or their emphatic counterparts /ṭ, ṣ, ð̣/. The acoustic analysis included measurements of VOT and spectral mean of burst in the stop, and F1, F2, F3 frequencies at the vowel beginning, middle and end. The results showed that final emphatic obstruent triggered emphasis spread across the syllable. The effect of emphasis on the vowel was stronger next to the emphatic obstruent (p < .01). Spectral mean of burst in plain /t/ was lower in the emphatic context (D = 276 Hz, p = .05). VOT, however, was not affected by emphasis spread. Plain /t/ had long-lag VOT averaging 52 ms; emphatic /ṭ/ had short-lag VOT averaging 17 ms. These values were not different in emphatic context (p = .743). The findings demonstrate that emphasis spread within a syllable affects only spectral characteristics of a coronal stop. Emphaticness of plain /t/ did not affect its VOT and did not result in complete transformation of the stop category

Effects of a 6-Week Straw Phonation in Water Exercise Program on the Aging Voice

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 1018-1032
Author(s):  
Chia-Hsin Wu ◽  
Roger W. Chan
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Exercise Program ◽  
Analysis Of Covariance ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Perceptual Evaluation ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Aging Voice ◽  
Before And After

Purpose Semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) exercises with tubes or straws have been widely used for a variety of voice disorders. Yet, the effects of longer periods of SOVT exercises (lasting for weeks) on the aging voice are not well understood. This study investigated the effects of a 6-week straw phonation in water (SPW) exercise program. Method Thirty-seven elderly subjects with self-perceived voice problems were assigned into two groups: (a) SPW exercises with six weekly sessions and home practice (experimental group) and (b) vocal hygiene education (control group). Before and after intervention (2 weeks after the completion of the exercise program), acoustic analysis, auditory–perceptual evaluation, and self-assessment of vocal impairment were conducted. Results Analysis of covariance revealed significant differences between the two groups in smoothed cepstral peak prominence measures, harmonics-to-noise ratio, the auditory–perceptual parameter of breathiness, and Voice Handicap Index-10 scores postintervention. No significant differences between the two groups were found for other measures. Conclusions Our results supported the positive effects of SOVT exercises for the aging voice, with a 6-week SPW exercise program being a clinical option. Future studies should involve long-term follow-up and additional outcome measures to better understand the efficacy of SOVT exercises, particularly SPW exercises, for the aging voice.

Une nouvelle méthode de mesure de la fonction d'aire du conduit vocal : cas des voyelles

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (7) ◽  
pp. 721-737
Author(s):  
H Teffahi ◽  
B Guerin ◽  
A Djeradi
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Method ◽  
Cross Correlation ◽  
Sound Production ◽  
Linear Prediction ◽  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Random Sequence ◽  
Speech Sound ◽  
Acoustic Properties ◽  
External Excitation ◽  
White Noise Excitation

Knowledge of vocal tract area functions is important for the understanding of phenomena occurring during speech production. We present here a new measurement method based on the external excitation of the vocal tract with a known pseudo-random sequence, where the area function is obtained by a linear prediction analysis applied to the cross-correlation between the sequence and the signal measured at the lips. The advantages of this method over methods based on sweep-tones or white noise excitation are (1) a much shorter measurement time (about 100 ms) and (2) the possibility of speech sound production during the measurement. This method has been checked against classical methods through systematic comparisons on a small corpus of vowels. Moreover, it has been verified that simultaneous speech sound production does not perturb significantly the measurements. This method should thus be a very helpful tool for the investigation of the acoustic properties of the vocal tract in various cases for vowels.

scholarly journals Air Pressure Responses to Sudden Vocal Tract Pressure Bleeds During Production of Stop Consonants

2004 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 784-801 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Zajac ◽  
Mark C. Weissler
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Linear Trend ◽  
Upper Airway ◽  
Air Pressure ◽  
Stop Consonants ◽  
Oral Pressure ◽  
The Face ◽  
Computer Controlled ◽  
Linear Manner ◽  
Respiratory Reflexes

Two studies were conducted to evaluate short-latency vocal tract air pressure responses to sudden pressure bleeds during production of voiceless bilabial stop consonants. It was hypothesized that the occurrence of respiratory reflexes would be indicated by distinct patterns of responses as a function of bleed magnitude. In Study 1, 19 adults produced syllable trains of /pʌ/ using a mouthpiece coupled to a computer-controlled perturbator. The device randomly created bleed apertures that ranged from 0 to 40 mm 2 during production of the 2nd or 4th syllable of an utterance. Although peak oral air pressure dropped in a linear manner across bleed apertures, it averaged 2 to 3 cm H 2 O at the largest bleed. While slope of oral pressure also decreased in a linear trend, duration of the oral pressure pulse remained relatively constant. The patterns suggest that respiratory reflexes, if present, have little effect on oral air pressure levels. In Study 2, both oral and subglottal air pressure responses were monitored in 2 adults while bleed apertures of 20 and 40 mm 2 were randomly created. For 1 participant, peak oral air pressure dropped across bleed apertures, as in Study 1. Subglottal air pressure and slope, however, remained relatively stable. These patterns provide some support for the occurrence of respiratory reflexes to regulate subglottal air pressure. Overall, the studies indicate that the inherent physiologic processes of the respiratory system, which may involve reflexes, and passive aeromechanical resistance of the upper airway are capable of developing oral air pressure in the face of substantial pressure bleeds. Implications for understanding speech production and the characteristics of individuals with velopharyngeal dysfunction are discussed. KEY WORDS: stop consonants, oral air pressure, subglottal air pressure, respiratory reflexes, velopharyngeal dysfunction

Postlaryngectomy Pharyngocutaneous Fistula: Incidence, Predisposing Factors, and Therapy

2005 ◽  
Vol 133 (5) ◽  
pp. 689-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacopo Galli ◽  
Eugenio De Corso ◽  
Mariangela Volante ◽  
Giovanni Almadori ◽  
Gaetano Paludetti
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
Total Laryngectomy ◽  
Radical Neck Dissection ◽  
Predisposing Factors ◽  
Spontaneous Closure ◽  
Pharyngocutaneous Fistula ◽  
Systemic Diseases ◽  
Surgical Closure ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Wait And See

OBJECTIVE: The pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) is a serious complication after total laryngectomy, and its etiology is not well understood yet. The aim of our study was to evaluate predisposing factors, incidence, and management of this complication. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a retrospective study of 268 patients who underwent total laryngectomy in our clinic (January 1990-December 2001). A number of factors potentially predisposing to PCF formation were evaluated. RESULTS: A PCF was observed in 16% of patients. Systemic diseases, previous radiotherapy, supraglottic origin of tumor, and concurrent radical neck dissection were significantly associated with PCF. Spontaneous closure was noted in 28 patients, whereas a surgical closure was necessary in 15 patients. CONCLUSIONS: In presence of a specific risk factor, PCF can be expected; nevertheless, its prevention remains very difficult. Moreover, given the high percentage of spontaneous closure, we suggest the “wait and see” approach for 28 days before proceeding with a surgical approach.

Kinematics of birdsong: functional correlation of cranial movements and acoustic features in sparrows

1993 ◽  
Vol 182 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. W. Westneat ◽  
J. H. Long ◽  
W. Hoese ◽  
S. Nowicki
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Acoustic Properties ◽  
Zonotrichia Albicollis ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Acoustic Frequency ◽  
Mean Frequency ◽  
Singing Behavior ◽  
Resonance Properties ◽  
Melospiza Georgiana

The movements of the head and beak of songbirds may play a functional role in vocal production by influencing the acoustic properties of songs. We investigated this possibility by synchronously measuring the acoustic frequency and amplitude and the kinematics (beak gape and head angle) of singing behavior in the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) and the swamp sparrow (Melospiza georgiana). These birds are closely related emberizine sparrows, but their songs differ radically in frequency and amplitude structure. We found that the acoustic frequencies of notes in a song have a consistent, positive correlation with beak gape in both species. Beak gape increased significantly with increasing frequency during the first two notes in Z. albicollis song, with a mean frequency for note 1 of 3 kHz corresponding to a gape of 0.4 cm (a 15 degrees gape angle) and a mean frequency for note 2 of 4 kHz corresponding to a gape of 0.7 cm (a 30 degrees gape angle). The relationship between gape and frequency for the upswept third note in Z. albicollis also was significant. In M. georgiana, low frequencies of 3 kHz corresponding to beak gapes of 0.2-0.3 cm (a 10–15 degrees break angle), whereas frequencies of 7–8 kHz were associated with flaring of the beak to over 1 cm (a beak angle greater than 50 degrees). Beak gape and song amplitude are poorly correlated in both species. We conclude that cranial kinematics, particularly beak movements, influence the resonance properties of the vocal tract by varying its physical dimensions and thus play an active role in the production of birdsong.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document