Larynx height and word accent distinction in Japanese

Abstract

The larynx by and large takes a higher position at the high voice fundamental frequency (F0) and moves downwards again with the lowering of F0. This paper focuses on the question whether variations in larynx height are correlated systematically with the different patterns of Japanese word accent. One male native speaker of standard Japanese pronounced phrases containing two‐mora test words of the form /VmV/ (where V stands for the vowel /a/ or /i/) while distinguishing among the three possible accent patterns for such sequences. Together with the speech sounds, lateral motion pictures of the subject's anterior neck were taken with a 16‐mm cinecamera. The differences in larynx height estimated from these pictures are discussed with respect to the physiological mechanisms for F0 control.