Voice Onset Time In Speech Research Articles

Assessing implicit phonological knowledge through accent imitation

This study investigates learners’ implicit knowledge of Voice Onset Time (VOT), a non-distinctive phonetic difference between German and French. Previous studies on VOT in speech produced by English native speakers learning Spanish (Flege & Hammond 1982) and L1 Spanish-speaking learners of English (Mora et al. 2014) suggest that learners modify their native VOT patterns when attempting to imitate a foreign accent. This was taken as evidence for the development of tacit awareness of cross-language VOT difference between L1 and L2 voiceless stops. In order to determine if similar modifications occur in the productions of German speaking learners of French as a foreign language, we assessed learners’ speech through VOT duration measures in word-initial /p,t,k/. Data was collected through a reading-aloud elicitation task. Results provide support for the hypothesis that German native speakers are able to modify VOT duration when mimicking a French accent. Given these findings, we believe that accent imitation tasks could be used in L2 phonology instruction to raise learners’ awareness of non-distinctive phonetic differences.

Voice Onset Time in Speech to Infants and Adults

Investigations of the phonetics of infant-directed speech (IDS) have mainly focused on prosodic aspects, showing extreme values or overspecifications in comparison to adult-directed speech (ADS). On the other hand, studies of segmental properties, especially consonantal ones, are very rare. The lack of knowledge of phonetic characteristics of the infant’s speech input is problematic, considering that the infant’s perceptual development seems to be attuned towards properties in the ambient language, as suggested by infant perception experiments. In the present study voice onset time (VOT) was measured in Swedish mothers’ IDS and in their ADS. VOT was significantly shorter in IDS than in ADS in both voiced and voiceless stops. The impact of stress was very clear in both IDS and ADS, showing significantly longer VOT in stressed positions as compared to the unstressed. The results are discussed in a framework assuming a differential weighting system of different phonetic aspects such as prosodic, consonantal and vocalic, as a function of infant development.

Voice onset time in speech produced by inexperienced signers during simultaneous communication

This study investigated sentence duration and voice onset time (VOT) of plosive consonants in words produced during simultaneous communication (SC) by inexperienced signers. Stimulus words embedded in a sentence were produced with speech only and produced with SC by 12 inexperienced sign language users during the first and last weeks of an introductory sign language course. Results indicated significant differences between the speech and SC conditions in sentence duration and VOT of initial plosives at both the beginning and the end of the class. Voiced/voiceless VOT contrasts were enhanced in SC but followed English voicing rules and varied appropriately with place of articulation. These results are consistent with previous findings regarding the influence of rate changes on the temporal fine structure of speech (Miller, 1987) and were similar to the voicing contrast results reported for clear speech by Picheny, Durlach, and Braida (1986) and for experienced signers using SC by Schiavetti, Whitehead, Metz, Whitehead, and Mignerey (1996).

Voice onset time in speech produced during simultaneous communication.

This study investigated speaking rate and voice onset time (VOT) in speech produced during simultaneous communication (SC) by speakers with normal hearing. Stimulus words initiated with voiced and voiceless plosives were embedded in a sentence that was spoken and produced with SC. VOT measures were calculated from acoustic recordings and results indicated significant differences between speech-only and SC conditions, with speech produced during SC demonstrating both slower speaking rate and increased VOT of voiceless consonants. VOTs produced during both SC and speech-only conditions followed English voicing rules and varied appropriately with place of articulation. The somewhat enlarged voicing contrast during SC was consistent with previous findings regarding the influence of rate changes on the temporal fine structure of speech (Miller, 1987) and was similar to the voicing contrast results reported for clear speech by Picheny, Durlach, and Braida (1986).