Modelling Aspects of Reduction and Assimilation of consonant sequences in Spontaneous French Speech

International audienceThe following paper presents spectrographic data of consonant sequences containing one or two consonants omitted and/or changed into another consonant when compared to an existing perception analysis. In most cases, perceptual and acoustic data are shown to strongly correspond, proving that consonants had indeed been changed, significantly reduced or deleted, mainly in a weak position, thereby preserving acoustic information crucial for lexical access, integration of prosodic structure and successful communication. Tentative rules summarise the tendencies observed in reduction and assimilation patterns

Consonant and Vowel Duration in Parkinsonian French Speech

International audienceThe current study compared vowel and consonant duration in speech read by 10 French Parkinsonian speakers and 10 control speakers. The results show a different impact of Parkinson's disease (PD) on speech segments. Consonants were shortened in PD speech while vowels were significantly longer. This results from the concomitance of articulatory movements of reduced amplitude and orofacil bradykinesia. As a consequence syllabic productions are of the overall duration in PD speech as in normal speech. The durational contrast of consonants was maintained, although for vowels there was less agreement with the normal pattern of intrinsic durations, especially for high vowels

Acoustic Properties of Consonant Sequences in Conversational French Speech

International audienceThe current paper analyses spectrographic data of two-consonant sequences with one or both consonants identified, omitted or changed into another consonant, with one or two features identified or with no feature identified, when compared to an earlier perception analysis. Perceptual and acoustic data mostly correspond, proving that consonants had indeed been changed, significantly reduced or deleted, mainly in coda position and in non-final phrase syllables, thereby preserving acoustic information crucial for lexical access, integration of prosodic structure and successful communication

Modelling Aspects of Reduction and Assimilation of consonant sequences in Spontaneous French Speech

International audienceThe following paper presents spectrographic data of consonant sequences containing one or two consonants omitted and/or changed into another consonant when compared to an existing perception analysis. In most cases, perceptual and acoustic data are shown to strongly correspond, proving that consonants had indeed been changed, significantly reduced or deleted, mainly in a weak position, thereby preserving acoustic information crucial for lexical access, integration of prosodic structure and successful communication. Tentative rules summarise the tendencies observed in reduction and assimilation patterns

Acoustic analysis of occlusive weakening in Parkinsonian French speech

International audienceThe current study investigated selected acoustic characteristics of the weakening of occlusives (O's) in French Parkinsonian Speech (PS). The results confirm an increase in the reduction of O's in PS compared to control speech (CS). In PS, O's have a significantly decreased intervocalic energy level, slightly shorter realisations and a higher number of visible formants and noise; the number of burstless and omitted O's is also higher. However, weakening patterns vary between different consonants and are strongly dependent on voicing and place. Occlusive weakening, a consequence of Parksinson's disease production deficits, appears to be influenced by the inherent-articulatory characteristics of consonants

Consonant and Vowel Duration in Parkinsonian French Speech

International audienceThe current study compared vowel and consonant duration in speech read by 10 French Parkinsonian speakers and 10 control speakers. The results show a different impact of Parkinson's disease (PD) on speech segments. Consonants were shortened in PD speech while vowels were significantly longer. This results from the concomitance of articulatory movements of reduced amplitude and orofacil bradykinesia. As a consequence syllabic productions are of the overall duration in PD speech as in normal speech. The durational contrast of consonants was maintained, although for vowels there was less agreement with the normal pattern of intrinsic durations, especially for high vowels

Use of Metaconceptual Scaffolding in the Science Classroom to Promote Conceptual Change

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of providing metaconceptual awareness questions on the conceptual change and metaconceptual awareness of students in the chemistry classroom. This quasi-experimental study with a repeated-measures design analyzed the effects of providing metaconceptual awareness questions on the conceptual change and metaconceptual awareness of high school chemistry students. The intervention consisted of providing metaconceptual awareness questions nine times to the experimental group over a three-week period. The chemistry conceptual knowledge of both groups was assessed three times: pretest, posttest, and a delayed retention test. The metaconceptual awareness of the students was assessed twice with a pretest and a posttest. An ANOVA with repeated-measures was performed for both the chemistry conceptual knowledge data and the metaconceptual awareness data. A significant between subject-effect of F(1,98) = 10.17, p = .002, ηp2 = .10 indicates that 10% of the variance in chemistry scores was explained by the intervention. The average posttest scores were significantly higher for the experimental group with a Cohen’s d of .63. The retention test scores were also significantly higher with a Cohen’s d of .85. The ANOVA with repeated-measures did not indicate a significant effect of the intervention on metaconceptual awareness scores. These findings indicate more research is warranted for the intervention of providing metaconceptual awareness questions in the science classroom