Rapid shadowing of vowel‐vowel sequences

Abstract

Porter and Castellanos [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 61, S91–S92(A) (1977)], recently reported replications and extensions of the classic Russian investigations of rapid shadowing of VCV's. The speed and accuracy of shadowing in these studies implies a rapid, direct conversion of acoustic cues to motor commands. The present study was designed to further investigate this process by determining if (1) vowel sequences would show the same rapid responses and (2) if electromyography might shed additional light on motor organization. Subjects shadowed randomizations of synthetic vowel sequences ([ai, ae, ao] or [iy, ia, io]). Responses were rapid and accurate, with onset of acoustic transition toward the correct response occurring within 200 ms of the end of V1. Additionally, orbicularis oris activity for the rounded V2's was initiated 25 to 100 msec prior to acoustic changes. Comparison of shadowing times to those obtained in other nondiscriminated vocal responses to the same stimuli suggests that: (1) perceptual analy...