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Journal of the Acoustical Society of America / Volume 131 / Issue 3 / SPEECH PRODUCTION [70]

Evaluating acoustic speaker normalization algorithms: Evidence from longitudinal child data

J. Acoust. Soc. Am. Volume 131, Issue 3, pp. 2237-2248 (2012); (12 pages)

Mary Elizabeth Kohn1 and Charlie Farrington2

1Department of Linguistics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 104A Smith Building, CB #3155, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3155
2North Carolina State University, Campus Box 8105, Tompkins Hall, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8105

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Speaker vowel formant normalization, a technique that controls for variation introduced by physical differences between speakers, is necessary in variationist studies to compare speakers of different ages, genders, and physiological makeup in order to understand non-physiological variation patterns within populations. Many algorithms have been established to reduce variation introduced into vocalic data from physiological sources. The lack of real-time studies tracking the effectiveness of these normalization algorithms from childhood through adolescence inhibits exploration of child participation in vowel shifts. This analysis compares normalization techniques applied to data collected from ten African American children across five time points. Linear regressions compare the reduction in variation attributable to age and gender for each speaker for the vowels BEET, BAT, BOT, BUT, and BOAR. A normalization technique is successful if it maintains variation attributable to a reference sociolinguistic variable, while reducing variation attributable to age. Results indicate that normalization techniques which rely on both a measure of central tendency and range of the vowel space perform best at reducing variation attributable to age, although some variation attributable to age persists after normalization for some sections of the vowel space.

© 2012 Acoustical Society of America

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Funding was made possible by National Science Foundation Grants No. BCS-0544744 and No. BCS-0843865. We would like to express gratitude to David Ethier for his contribution to this research. In addition, we thank Erik Thomas, Elliot Moreton, and Walt Wolfram for their advice and input. We would also like to thank two anonymous reviewers for thoughtful recommendations and input. We must also thank both the researchers and participants who have made the FPG longitudinal study possible.

Article Outline

  1. INTRODUCTION
    1. Normalization
    2. Child vowel development
  2. METHODS
    1. Participants
    2. Data collection and analysis
    3. Normalization techniques
    4. Comparison of normalization techniques
    5. The sociolinguistic variable
  3. RESULTS
    1. Visual comparison of normalization techniques
    2. Preservation of sociolinguistic variation
    3. Regression analysis
  4. DISCUSSION

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KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords

regression analysis, speech

PACS

  • 43.70.Jt

    Instrumentation and methodology for speech production research

  • 43.71.Gv

    Measures of speech perception (intelligibility and quality)

ARTICLE DATA

History
Received 26 Aug 2011
Accepted 13 Jan 2012
Revised 13 Jan 2012
Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.3682061

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

0001-4966 (print)  

Publisher

$abstract.society.value is a Member of CrossRef Acoustical Society of America

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