The effect of consonantal context on intensity distribution in vowels

Abstract

Overall vowel intensity varies intrinsically with vowel quality and in terms of immediate consonantal context. These variations affect the levels of formants F1–F4 and F0, which change in consonantal contexts according to a vowel−specific pattern [Jacewicz, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 114, 2395 (2003)]. The current study further examines the differential distribution of acoustic energy across and within continuous frequency bands in the vowel as a function of vowel quality and consonantal context. The analysis technique used here was adopted from Sluijter and Van Heuven [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 100, 2471−2485 (1996)], who measured differences in spectral intensity distribution across frequency bands as a function of stress. The intensity distribution of the vowels /i, i, ε, æ, u, u/ in American English were measured across eight frequency bands in a stressed [C1VC2] context (where C1=C2). Contexts were chosen which have the greatest (e.g., voiceless fricatives) and the smallest (e.g., voiced stops) effect on changes in relative amplitude of formant frequencies and F0 for each particular vowel. Preliminary results indicate that intensity variations across frequency bands as a function of consonantal context have a potential to change the overall spectral balance. [Work supported by NIDCD R03 DC005560−01.]