Syllable Types Research Articles

Songbird presumed to be age‐limited learner may change repertoire size and composition throughout their life

AbstractSongbirds learn to sing by imitating their conspecific songs through social learning. It is commonly thought that in species with small repertoires, so‐called crystallization of the song repertoire takes place before the first breeding attempt and afterwards their repertoires remain unchanged. However, the number of studies in which individual song repertoires have been tracked longitudinally under natural conditions is still small. The ortolan bunting (Emberiza hortulana) is a small Eurasian passerine species. Studies on this species have shown that males have small song repertoires (usually 2–3), share the same final phrase within a local dialect area, and their repertoires remain unchanged during their lifetimes. We studied the whole, isolated Norwegian population of this species with 100–150 individually marked males. We compared repertoire sizes and contents using cross‐sectional and longitudinal approaches. We focused on marked males aged 2–10 years and recorded in up to five breeding seasons between 2001 and 2006. There was no local dialect because songs with different final phrases occurred both within and between males. Repertoire size varied between 1 and 24 (4.7 ± 3.4) song types per male. Longitudinal analysis showed an increase in repertoire size in 29% and a decrease in 21% of males. Males whose repertoires remained the same in size between years often substantially changed in contents. New song types appeared in almost 70% of males, and over 30% of males started singing new syllable types after the second calendar year. In almost 50% of males, new song types appeared that were built as new combinations of syllables shown in previous years. In 30% of males, the song complexity increased with age. Simultaneously, over 60% of males selectively ceased singing some song types. We suggest that these repertoire alterations are linked to the isolation and fragmentation of this population, which may affect song learning patterns through increased breeding dispersal and a strongly male‐biased sex ratio. Similar studies from abundant and continuous populations of the species are needed to test this idea.

Ultrasonic vocalization of pup and adult fat-tailed gerbils (Pachyuromys duprasi).

Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) of laboratory rodents indicate animal emotional arousal and may serve as models of human disorders. We analysed spectrographically USV calls of pup and adult fat-tailed gerbils Pachyuromys duprasi during 420-s tests, including isolation, touch and handling. Based on combination of six different USV syllable contour shapes and six different note compositions, we classified 782 USV syllables of 24 pups aged 5–10 days to 18 types and 232 syllables of 7 adults to 24 types. Pups and adults shared 16 of these 26 USV types. Percentages of USV syllables with certain contour shapes differed between pups and adults. The contour shape and note composition significantly affected most acoustic variables of USV syllables in either pups or adults. The 1-note USV syllables were most common in either pups or adults. Pup USV syllables were overall longer and higher-frequency than adult ones, reminiscent of the USV ontogenetic pathway of bats and distinctive to rats and mice. We discuss that the USV syllable types of fat-tailed gerbils were generally similar in contour shapes and note compositions with USV syllable types of mice and rats, what means that software developed for automated classifying of mice ultrasound might be easily adapted or re-tuned to gerbil USV calls. However, using fat-tailed gerbils as model for biomedical research including control of USV vocalization is only possible since 6th day of pup life, because of the delayed emergence of USV calls in ontogeny of this species.

The song structure and repertoire size of Daurian Redstarts (Phoenicurusauroreus) in South Korea

The song repertoire across avian species varies considerably in size, and reliable measurement is important in defining its significance as a target in sexual selection. In this study, the song structure and song repertoire size of the Daurian Redstart (Phoenicurus auroreus) in South Korea were investigated. The songs had major syllable variation rather than song type variation. The average song repertoire size from 20 males was 39.9 ± 5.8 (range: 28-50), based on a syllable type that was appropriate for this species. The songs were structured with three distinguishable parts, where song syllables varied most in the syllable part, and new syllable additions were relatively limited in the whistle and subsyllable parts. Furthermore, new syllables were gradually reduced with an increasing number of males, potentially due to the existence of core syllables in the songs. Our results suggest an individual identity cue may exist in the syllable part of the song and that the less variable whistles within and between individuals may play a role in forming a local dialect. Thus, further research on syllable similarity is needed to find song variations among individuals over greater geographic distances.

Syllable structure and complex onsets in Modern Hebrew

Abstract Modern Hebrew allows for a diverse variety of syllable structures, allowing syllables with codas, onsetless syllables, and complex syllable margins. Syllables with a complex onset are found in word initial position, mostly in nouns, and syllables with a complex coda are less common. In this paper, we provide the distribution of syllable types in Modern Hebrew, noting differences between verbs and nouns, native words and loanwords, as well as differences among positions within the word. Special attention is given to word initial complex onsets, with details regarding the restrictions governing consonant combinations.

Syllable merging during ontogeny in Hipposideros larvatus

ABSTRACT Bats are altricial, gregarious, and highly vocal animals. As such, they are compelling animal models for bioacoustic analyses of language-related traits. Insight into the vocal development of bats can provide a more comprehensive understanding of animal communication. We report the phenomenon of syllable merging in Hipposideros larvatus by analyzing changes to their isolation calls during ontogeny. Our findings indicate that composites in adult social calls originate from isolation calls. As pups developed, the interval between simple syllables gradually shortened, and different types of simple syllables combined into composites that were used for social communication. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report this phenomenon in constant frequency-frequency modulated (CF-FM) bats, and it might be a unique feature of isolation call development in H. larvatus.

Urban background noise affects breeding song frequency and syllable-type composition in the Northern Mockingbird

AbstractThe Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) is a successful urban adaptor known to display flexibility in foraging, nesting, and anti-predator behavior. Its vocal behavior is also complex, with a breeding song composed of a wide variety of non-mimetic and mimetic elements, or “syllable types.” We tested the hypothesis that Northern Mockingbird adaptation to urban settings includes changes in its vocal behavior in noisy urban environments. We studied an urban/suburban mockingbird population to test the effect of urban background noise on breeding song frequency and syllable-type composition. Given that urban noise overlaps most strongly with low-frequency vocalizations, a phenomenon known as “signal masking,” we predicted a positive association between noise levels and mockingbird average peak frequency (a measure of vocalization power). We further predicted a positive effect of noise levels on the peak frequency of the lowest-pitched syllable type in a mockingbird’s song, no effect on the peak frequency of the highest-pitched syllable type, and thus a negative effect on mockingbird peak frequency range. Lastly, we predicted a negative effect of background noise on the use of syllable types experiencing heavy signal masking and, conversely, a positive effect on the use of syllable types experiencing minimal signal masking. We found a significant positive effect of noise levels on both average peak frequency and peak frequency of the lowest-pitched syllable type, but no effect on the peak frequency of the highest-pitched syllable type and peak frequency range. In addition, as background noise levels increased, we found significant declines in the percentages of heavily masked syllable types (1–3 kHz) and significant increases in the percentages of syllable types in the 3–5 kHz range; percentages of syllable types >5 kHz were, however, unaffected by background noise. These results were consistent with the hypothesis that Northern Mockingbird breeding songs change in pitch and syllable-type composition in noisy settings, providing further evidence that songs of urban-adapting species differ in noisy environments.

Assessment of intelligibility in dysarthria: development of a Maltese word and phrase list

ABSTRACTThis paper describes the development of the Maltese Intelligibility Lists (MIL) for the assessment of word and phrase intelligibility in dysarthria. Two main tools were employed: the Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment-2 (FDA), and the Maltese Language Resource Server (MLRS). Three main criteria served as the basis for the construction of the word and phrase lists: frequency of occurrence of Maltese phonemes, word frequency and an analysis of syllable types and structures. The most common 500 words in the MLRS corpus (Korpus Malti v. 3) were broadly transcribed and an analysis of different types of syllables and their frequency of occurrence was carried out. Based on this analysis, the relevant proportion of different syllable types required for the word and phrase lists for Maltese was calculated in line with the number of items present in the FDA-2. With regards to phoneme frequency, the words chosen demonstrate a similar short-vowel and consonant distribution as reported in a previous large-scale study. The MIL consists of 116 words and 50 phrases which are representative of Standard Maltese and can be used in the clinic to assess speech intelligibility in Maltese individuals with dysarthria.

Syllables constitute proximate units for Mandarin speakers: Electrophysiological evidence from a masked priming task.

Languages may differ regarding the primary mental unit of phonological encoding in spoken production, with models of speakers of Indo-European languages generally assuming a central role for phonemes, but spoken Chinese production potentially attributing a more prominent role to syllables. In the present study, native Mandarin Chinese speakers named objects that were preceded by briefly presented and masked prime words, which were form related and either matched or mismatched concerning their syllabic structure, or were unrelated. Behavioral results showed a previously reported interaction between prime and target syllable type. Concurrently recorded EEG also exhibited this interaction and further revealed that syllable overlap modulated ERPs mainly in the time window of 300-400ms after picture onset. By contrast, phonemic overlap modulated ERPs from 500ms to 600ms. This pattern might suggest that speakers retrieved syllables before phonemes and strengthens the claim that for Chinese individuals syllables constitute primary functional representations ("proximate units").

Four decades of cultural evolution in House Finch songs

ABSTRACT Bird song is the primary animal model system for cultural evolution. Longitudinal studies of bird song across many generations can provide insights into patterns and mechanisms of change in socially transmitted traits. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of songs of the House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) across an interval of 37 years (in 1975 and in 2012). Recordings from both years were collected in western Long Island, New York, which is thought to be the initial site of introduction of the House Finch around 1940 from the West Coast. Song types experienced a complete turnover during this period, although half of the syllable types were represented in both samples. Song length, frequency bandwidth and several other spectrographic features were the same in both years, and no structural features predicted recurrence of individual syllables. Consistent with the fact that our study population expanded substantially following a cultural founder effect, song and syllable sharing and similarity between individuals were lower in 2012 than in 1975, reflecting an increase in song diversity at the population level. However, in the more recent sample individual songs had fewer syllables, and were sung with less sequence stereotypy across renditions than in the earlier sample. Syllable prevalence in 2012 was associated both with complexity (as gauged by frequency excursion) and increased minimum frequency. Thus, over nearly 4 decades, Eastern House Finch songs remained structurally similar at the whole-song level, diversified between individuals, but became simpler and less consistent within an individual.

A/B Type segregation in mixed-onset phonetic series is the key to early Chinese onset complexity

AbstractThere is still little agreement regarding the most important evidence for Old Chinese (OC) onset complexity—Middle Chinese (MC) mixed-onset phonetic series. This study explores a remarkable feature of this evidence first noticed by Sagart (1999). Within series such as those involving mixture of MC labials and velars with l-, x- with m-, velars with hj- (/y/), and d- with y- (/j/), MC onset and so-called A/B (syllable) Type fail to vary independently of one another. An unrecognized but inescapable implication of this association is that these MC onset results and A/B Type require a unified explanation in early Chinese. In light of the phonetic series material, I demonstrate that pre-OC Type involved two contrasting onset configurations. A number of phonetic specifications are conceivable; here, based on ideas of Ferlus (1998), I show how the data can be explained in terms of an early contrast between minor syllable forms **CǝR- (“Type A”) and tautosyllabic clusters **CR- (“Type B”) where R is a sonorant.

Context-dependent variation of house finch song syntax

We explored the role of social context in the syntactical variation of house finch, Haemorhous mexicanus, songs using both traditional song measures and network analysis. In comparison to solo bouts, the bouts of countersinging males had increased syntax diversity, with higher numbers of simple paths and transition types (but not syllable types) in comparison to solo song, which had high sequence consistency. Both the proportion of introductory syllables and the degree (number of transitions to and from those syllables) increased in countersinging bouts and were an important source of syntactic variability. In contrast, courtship bouts included longer songs and longer syllables than both solo and countersinging bouts, but were similar to solo songs in sequence consistency. The longest courtship songs often included concatenated sequences that formed ‘compound songs’, or repeating strings of main song syllables, which slightly increased the degree of those syllables. Our results suggest that interactions between males are associated with increased syntactic variability in song delivery while female choice favours signals that maintain species-typical syntax and demonstrate fitness in terms of a male's capacity to sing extended songs.

Word Structure Change in Language Contact

Abstract Languages have been in contact since their existence. The Hungarian and Romanian languages have been so for at least 800 years. The present article aims at analysing the structural changes in the monosyllabic Hungarian loanwords in Romanian. After the theoretical introduction, I discuss the phonological status of the /j/ sound, which is very important in this kind of investigations. After that, I present the syllable structure types of these monosyllabic Hungarian etymons and I present, as well, the changing schemes of their structures in the borrowing. The study concludes that the most affected parts of the syllables are the nucleus and the coda.

El uso de la información silábica y contrastiva de L1-L2map en la enseñanza de la pronunciación del español

En la adquisición del sistema fónico de una segunda lengua (L2) al aprendiz no le basta con familiarizarse con los nuevos sonidos nuevos de la L2, sino que debe interiorizar las pautas distribucionales de los segmentos y las restricciones silábicas propias de la L2. El objetivo de este trabajo es, por un lado, reflexionar sobre los factores lingüísticos y contrastivos que pueden influir en la adquisición de las restricciones silábicas del español como lengua extranjera y, por otro lado, presentar las nuevas funciones de la base de datos multilingüe L1-L2map que permiten, precisamente, realizar análisis contrastivos de la estructura silábica de una lengua nativa (L1) y una L2. A lo largo del artículo se revisarán las principales restricciones silábicas activas en español y, a partir del uso de L1-L2map, se discutirán aquellas áreas que, posiblemente, resultarán más problemáticas a los aprendices de esta lengua en función de su L1. Asimismo, se repasarán algunas de las estrategias y modificaciones más frecuentes en la interlengua de los aprendices al enfrentarse a nuevos tipos silábicos.

Song complexity-no correlation between standard deviation of frequency and traditionally used song complexity metrics in passerines: A comment on Pearse etal. (2018).

Recently, Pearse et al. explored the macroecology of passerine song using a large citizen science database of bird songs and machine learning techniques. They used standard deviation of frequency (SDF) as a surrogate for song complexity, finding only weak support for correlation between SDF and life-history traits such as monogamy and sexual dimorphism. Their finding that song complexity increases toward more productive environments and warmer areas seemingly contradicts several previous multitaxonomic studies. By comparing SDF scores with traditionally used song complexity metrics (syllable repertoire size and the number of syllable types per song), we found no evidence of any correlation. This may help to explain the discrepancy between their findings and findings of previous studies. While we agree that simple metrics that can be quantified and compared between multiple, highly variable species are crucial for progress in large-scale analysis of birdsong complexity, the biological relevance of SDF remains unclear and more research is needed to clarify its relevance for further studies of birdsong complexity.

What do monolingual and bilingual children with and without SLI produce when phonology is too complex?

In this study, the authors compare the production of internal codas and branching onsets in four groups of children learning French: monolingual typically-developing children ( n = 12), bilingual typically-developing children ( n = 61), monolingual children with Specific Language Impairment ( n = 17) and bilingual children with Specific Language Impairment ( n = 20). Their elicited productions were collected using a nonword repetition task (LITMUS-NWR-French), containing 71 nonwords with different syllable types. Except for typically-developing monolingual children, all children performed significantly better on branching onsets than on internal codas. Moreover, the repair strategies used in erroneous productions also indicate that children had more difficulties with internal codas: all the cases of metathesis affecting a target internal coda resulted in the production of a branching onset whereas the contrary was not observed. The differences in the rates of target-like production and the patterns of metathesis of these two structures suggest that internal codas are more difficult than branching onsets for children learning French.

Arabic stress in strict CV, with no moras, no syllables, no feet and no extrametricality

Abstract This paper continues the effort that began in (Scheer, Tobias & Peter Szigetvari. 2005. Unified representations for stress and the syllable. Phonology 22(1). 37–75.) to present a compelling alternative to moraic accounts of stress systems, framed in the theory of Strict CV (Lowenstamm, Jean. 1996. CV as the only syllable type. In Jacques Durand & Bernard Laks (eds.), Current trends in phonology models and methods, 419–442. European Studies Research Institute, University of Salford.). We have chosen stress in Palestinian Arabic, a stronghold of moraic theory, to be the empirical basis of the paper. It is a complex system, involving syllable structure and stress assignment, quantity sensitivity and syllabically-determined stress shift. Moreover, its analysis requires the deployment of a great deal of the theoretical machinery that has been (independently) developed in moraic stress theory. These phenomena, although recurrent cross-linguistically, remained outside the scope of Scheer and Szigetvari’s work. The present paper provides an account of these patterns using the innovative grid-based notion of weight incorporation (Ulfsbjorninn, Shanti. 2014. A Field Theory of Stress: the role of empty nuclei in stress systems. SOAS – University of London, PhD Dissertation.). The analysis is also brought to bear on Cairene Arabic, which is shown to differ from Palestinian in a single parameter setting. Significant independent support is provided by the extension of the analysis to the phenomenon of vowel shortening (both metrical and final), whose distribution and motivation are shown to follow in a straightforward manner from the general account. The paper also improves on previous analyses of meter in Strict CV, as for the first time in Strict CV metrics, a computational component is explicitly formalized. We conclude with a comparison to a moraic analysis of the phenomena discussed, and argue on principled grounds that the Strict CV account is a worthy competitor to such an analysis. Like its predecessor from 2005, the present account recognizes only one unit relevant for meter: the nucleus. No appeal is made to moras, syllables, feet or extrametricality.

Rufous‐capped Warblers Basileuterus rufifrons show seasonal, temporal and annual variation in song use

In the majority of songbird species, males have repertoires of multiple song types used for mate attraction and territory defence. The wood‐warblers (family Parulidae) are a diverse family of songbirds in which males of many migratory species use different song types or patterns of song delivery (known as ‘singing modes’) depending on context. The vocal behaviour of most tropical resident warblers remains undescribed, although these species differ ecologically and behaviourally from migratory species, and may therefore differ in their vocal behaviour. We test whether male Rufous‐capped Warblers Basileuterus rufifrons use distinct singing modes by examining song structure and context‐dependent variation in their songs. We recorded multiple song bouts from 50 male Warblers in a Costa Rican population over 3 years to describe seasonal, diel and annual variation in song structure and vocal behaviour. We found that Rufous‐capped Warbler songs are complex, with many syllable types shared both within and between males’ repertoires. Males varied their song output depending on context: they sang long songs at a high rate at dawn and during the breeding season, and shortened songs in the presence of a vocalizing female mate. Unlike many migratory species, Rufous‐capped Warblers do not appear to have different singing modes; they did not change the song variants used or the pattern of song delivery according to time of day, season or female vocal activity. Our research provides the first detailed vocal analysis of any Basileuterus warbler species, and enhances our understanding of the evolution of repertoire specialization in tropical resident songbirds.

아동이 산출한 치조마찰음 /ㅅ/에 대한 청지각적․음향학적 연구

This study examined the acoustic characteristics of Korean alveolar fricatives of normal children. Developing children aged 3 and 7, typically produced 2 types of nonsense syllables containing alveolar fricative /sV/ and /VsV/ sequences where V was any one of three corner vowels (/i, a, and u/). Stimuli containing the speech materials used in a production experiment were presented randomly to 12 speech language pathologists (SLPs) for a perception test. The SLPs responded by selecting one of seven alternative sounds. Acoustic measures such as duration of frication noise, normalized intensity, skewness, and center of gravity were examined. There was significant difference in acoustic measures when comparing vowels. Comparison of syllable structures indicated statistically significant differences in duration of frication noise and normalized intensity. Acoustic parameters could account for the perceptual data. Relating the acoustic and perception data by means of logistic regression suggests that duration of frication noise and normalized intensity are the primary cues to perceiving Korean fricatives.

The effect of perceptual similarity, frequency, and phonotactic restriction in loanword adaptation

Mandarin speakers tend to adapt an intervocalic nasal as either an onset of the following syllable (e.g., Brunoà bù.lŭ.nuò) or as a nasal geminate (e.g., Daniel à dān.ní.ěr) (Huang & Lin 2013, 2014). Two forced-choice identification experiments were conducted to test the effects of nasalization (whether the pre-nasal vowel bears stress or not) and duration (whether the pre-nasal vowel is lax or tense): Would stronger nasalization and shorter duration encourage higher nasal gemination rate? The results showed that Mandarin speakers’ choice of repairs was indeed biased by the different phonetic manipulations, suggesting an effect of perceptual similarity. Moreover, the overall preference for the V.NV form over the VN.NV form suggests an influence from the native syllable type frequency (open syllables being more frequent than closed syllables). The across-the-board higher VN.NV responses for lax than for tense vowels regardless of the phonetic manipulations are attributed to the possibility that Mandarin speakers might have perceived the tense vowels as diphthongs (i.e., English /e/ to [ej], /o/ to [ow]) and inserting a nasal coda is illegal in this contexts (*CVGN). That is, the findings suggest that the variations in loanword adaptation were guided by perception, frequency, as well as phonotactics.

Review of Poecilimon species with inflated pronotum: description of four new taxa within an acoustically diverse group.

Poecilimon Fischer (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) consists of about 130 species and a functional taxonomy of the genus requires arranging species into phylogenetic groups. However, this is a task that requires detailed empirical testing. This paper documents data on Poecilimon species with an inflated pronotum. The Poecilimon (Poecilimon) inflatus group is a lineage ranging along a narrow zone in the south-west corner of Anatolia and in Crete plus some other Aegean islands. By producing data of morphology and calling songs of males and responding songs of females the composition and intra-group diversity of P. inflatus group are studied. Both morphology and male calling and female responding songs, exhibited a considerable intra-group diversity. In the light of data obtained the following nomenclatural changes were made. The genus Parapoecilimon Karabağ, 1975 syn. n. is synonymised with Poecilimon Fischer and Parapoecilimon antalyaensis Karabağ, 1975 is given a new combination, Poecilimon antalyaensis (Karabağ, 1975) comb. n. Four new taxa are described in the group: (i) Poecilimon isopterus sp.n.; (ii) Poecilimon inflatus lyciae subsp. n.; (iii) Poecilimon antalyaensis myrae subsp. n., and (iv) Poecilimon antalyaensis anemurium subsp. n. The Poecilimon (P.) inflatus species group consists of the following species: (i) Poecilimon inflatus Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1891; (ii) Poecilimon martinae Heller, 2004; (iii) Poecilimon cretensis Werner, 1903; (iv) Poecilimon antalyaensis (Karabağ, 1975) comb. n.; (v) Poecilimon bilgeri Karabağ, 1953 and (vi) Poecilimon isopterus sp.n. The species group is defined by a combination of characters including the pronotum inflated in metazona and a male cerci mostly black in their apical 1/2-1/3. The male calling song has typically two types of short syllables and the females respond acoustically with very short latency times. By using combination of morphology and song data we suggest three main lineages in the group: (i) P. bilgeri, (ii) P. antalyaensis and (iii) the other four species.