The analysis of breathing and rhythm in speech

Speech rhythm can be described as the temporal patterning by which speech events, such as vocalic onsets, occur. Despite efforts to quantify and model speech rhythm across languages, it remains a scientifically enigmatic aspect of prosody. For instance, one challenge lies in determining how to best quantify and analyse speech rhythm. Techniques range from manual phonetic annotation to the automatic extraction of acoustic features. It is currently unclear how closely these differing approaches correspond to one another. Moreover, the primary means of speech rhythm research has been the analysis of the acoustic signal only. Investigations of speech rhythm may instead benefit from a range of complementary measures, including physiological recordings, such as of respiratory effort. This thesis therefore combines acoustic recording with inductive plethysmography (breath belts) to capture temporal characteristics of speech and speech breathing rhythms. The first part examines the performance of existing phonetic and algorithmic techniques for acoustic prosodic analysis in a new corpus of rhythmically diverse English and Mandarin speech. The second part addresses the need for an automatic speech breathing annotation technique by developing a novel function that is robust to the noisy plethysmography typical of spontaneous, naturalistic speech production. These methods are then applied in the following section to the analysis of English speech and speech breathing in a second, larger corpus. Finally, behavioural experiments were conducted to investigate listeners' perception of speech breathing using a novel gap detection task. The thesis establishes the feasibility, as well as limits, of automatic methods in comparison to manual annotation. In the speech breathing corpus analysis, they help show that speakers maintain a normative, yet contextually adaptive breathing style during speech. The perception experiments in turn demonstrate that listeners are sensitive to the violation of these speech breathing norms, even if unconsciously so. The thesis concludes by underscoring breathing as a necessary, yet often overlooked, component in speech rhythm planning and production

The Spinnaker Vol. 7 No. 5

Student newspaper for the UNF community

The phonetics of speech breathing : pauses, physiology, acoustics, and perception

Speech is made up of a continuous stream of speech sounds that is interrupted by pauses and breathing. As phoneticians are primarily interested in describing the segments of the speech stream, pauses and breathing are often neglected in phonetic studies, even though they are vital for speech. The present work adds to a more detailed view of both pausing and speech breathing with a special focus on the latter and the resulting breath noises, investigating their acoustic, physiological, and perceptual aspects. We present an overview of how a selection of corpora annotate pauses and pause-internal particles, as well as a recording setup that can be used for further studies on speech breathing. For pauses, this work emphasized their optionality and variability under different tempos, as well as the temporal composition of silence and breath noise in breath pauses. For breath noises, we first focused on acoustic and physiological characteristics: We explored alignment between the onsets and offsets of audible breath noises with the start and end of expansion of both rib cage and abdomen. Further, we found similarities between speech breath noises and aspiration phases of /k/, as well as that breath noises may be produced with a more open and slightly more front place of articulation than realizations of schwa. We found positive correlations between acoustic and physiological parameters, suggesting that when speakers inhale faster, the resulting breath noises were more intense and produced more anterior in the mouth. Inspecting the entire spectrum of speech breath noises, we showed relatively flat spectra and several weak peaks. These peaks largely overlapped with resonances reported for inhalations produced with a central vocal tract configuration. We used 3D-printed vocal tract models representing four vowels and four fricatives to simulate in- and exhalations by reversing airflow direction. We found the direction to not have a general effect for all models, but only for those with high-tongue configurations, as opposed to those that were more open. Then, we compared inhalations produced with the schwa-model to human inhalations in an attempt to approach the vocal tract configuration in speech breathing. There were some similarities, however, several complexities of human speech breathing not captured in the models complicated comparisons. In two perception studies, we investigated how much information listeners could auditorily extract from breath noises. First, we tested categorizing different breath noises into six different types, based on airflow direction and airway usage, e.g. oral inhalation. Around two thirds of all answers were correct. Second, we investigated how well breath noises could be used to discriminate between speakers and to extract coarse information on speaker characteristics, such as age (old/young) and sex (female/male). We found that listeners were able to distinguish between two breath noises coming from the same or different speakers in around two thirds of all cases. Hearing one breath noise, classification of sex was successful in around 64%, while for age it was 50%, suggesting that sex was more perceivable than age in breath noises.Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) – Projektnummer 418659027: "Pause-internal phonetic particles in speech communication

Using Mixed Focus of Attention Principle to Explore a Singing Teacher’s Perceptions of Belting Teaching Guide for Novice Singers

Increasing demand for voice lessons in the contemporary commercial music (CCM) genre has been witnessed in recent years, with belting emerging as a prevalent technique amongst voice students and performers. The rising prominence of belting and CCM singing can be attributed to the increasing popularity of televised singing talent shows, musical series and films, and cover versions of popular songs on video sharing platforms. Additionally, classically-trained singers have begun seeking guidance on belting and other CCM techniques to remain relevant to professional voice performance in the changing employment landscape. This study seeks to solve the scarcity of educational resources on CCM belting singing to help voice instructors safely and effectively teach the techniques required for belting. The study focuses on the needs of singing teachers that have little knowledge of the belting technique and those trained in Western classical music. It also debunks the common misconception that belting is harmful to the voice, which leads to the hesitance among singing teachers to explore both CCM and belting as legitimate vocal styles. The study posits that the teaching guide will make vocal teachers more able to coach students interested in belting proper guidance, thus increasing the possibility that vocal teachers will meet the demand for CCM instruction. Because most of the belting resources available to date focus primarily on the physiological, perceptual, and acoustic aspects, this study provides practical guidance for vocal teachers regarding vocal exercises and strategies used in belt voice production, which is currently lacking. Hence, this study developed a comprehensive teaching guide for belting, including practical, evidence-based techniques and exercises. The teaching guide developed in this study is based on the Mixed Focus of Attention Principle (MFA) and presented using straightforward language, along with examples and illustrations to aid comprehension. The teaching guide expresses the credibility of belting as a unique style of performance that requires non-classical vocal techniques. This study uses a single case study approach to explore, through semi-structured interviews and lesson observations, the perceptions of a singing teacher and her three students regarding the developed belting teaching guide and the application of the MFA in belting pedagogy. From the data collected in the study, it is concluded that the belting teaching guide was perceived as valuable by the teacher and the students. These conclusions make a new contribution to knowledge in voice pedagogy. They show that the developed belting teaching guide and the MFA are vastly beneficial to voice instructors seeking practical guidance to teach the belting style

In search of relief : self care strategies for clients with chronic pain

ix, 119 leaves ; 29 cmChronic pain differs from acute pain in origin and manifestations and is often accompanied by depression and anxiety. There are considerable challenges for both the client and counsellor/psychotherapist in dealing with the issues raised by the experience of the client with chronic pain. This final project examines theories of chronic pain, describes current research into the use of cognitive behavioural therapy for clients with chronic pain, and highlights the current research into the use of mindfulness-based and acceptance-based cognitive behavioural therapies for chronic pain by means of a comprehensive literature review. This project also involves producing psycho-educational material in the form of a proposed manual for clients detailing strategies that can be implemented while waiting for a group therapy program. Evidence suggests a wide applicability of “third wave” psychotherapies such as dialectical behaviour therapy, and mindfulness- and acceptance-based therapies for clients with chronic pain. Applicable strategies include breathing, mindfulness and meditation techniques, sleep hygiene and nutritional guidance, suggestions for exercise, emotion regulation techniques, and assertive communication. The intent of this project is to examine current psychotherapeutic approaches to pain relief and to distil the results of research into a future manual of proven strategies for clients to be used prior to, or concurrently with, formal therapy. Implementation of these preliminary strategies will raise awareness, facilitate skill development and enhance self-management in order to minimize the impact of pain on the client’s life and family, improve the therapeutic experience, and to alleviate the burden on society and the health care system

Chinese texts, western analysis: from film to novel

This study explores perceptions of Chinese texts by Western audiences while looking into the interrelation between film and literature. This is done by two means: firstly, through a detailed discussion of film adaptations with the focus on Chinese cinema, and secondly, through a practical demonstration of a filmic style in prose fiction in the form of an original book-length piece of fiction. Using Bakhtin’s ‘dialogism’ as the point of departure, the research on adaptations adopts an intertextual approach of adaptation theory as developed by Robert Stam, looking into the intertextual relationship between a hypotext (a source text) and a hypertext (film adaptation). The analysis of Raise the Red Lantern by Zhang Yimou (1991) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon by Ang Lee (2001) concludes that both films contain elements of familiarity and strangeness for Western audiences, an uneasy mix of intimacy and exoticism which underpins their appeal. However, this phenomenon is unintended by the filmmakers themselves, chiefly because, firstly, the directors’ exposure to Western film art has contributed to the use of techniques that are familiar to Western audiences in the making of their films, and, secondly, the elements of strangeness are related to the natures of the films, the cultural elements involved and the locations in which the films are made, which are unfamiliar to a Western audience. The writing of the novel, Little Hut of Leaping Fishes, reveals the necessity of incorporating cultural elements into a narrative that is set in a time and place where the culture is deeply rooted. My background as a fourth-generation Chinese in Malaysia informs my urge as an artist and critic to explore aspects of my own cultural identity. The main concern, which is the key discovery of this experiment, is that once a writer understands the shared creative mechanism between film and literature, he can place a camera before his pages to capture the scenes he carefully arranged, making the page a screen onto which images as well as words can be projected

Community of Reflective Practice: Clinical Education in Taiwan

Medical practice entails lifelong learning of both the science and art of medicine. However, it is not easy to teach or observe what one has learned about the latter. Previous literature has found that learning during the clinical phase is influenced by both the macro, structural issues and micro, individual factors. This ethnographic study investigates the deliberate, systematic, and sustained effort of clinical education at a district hospital in Taiwan in order to find out how medical educators can train and retain caring and competent physicians. It focuses on the students’ experiences during their clerkship, formal and informal teachings such as ward rounds, teachings at the operating room, and fortnightly medical humanities discussions, as well as what the hospital has done to create a conducive environment for teaching and learning. Using a grounded theory approach, it uncovers the problems novices face in clinical practice and learning and effective techniques expert clinicians use in teaching. It concludes that the most effective and efficient education happens when learning is made explicit and visible, when teachers actively engage students in legitimate peripheral participation, when learners become self-directed in their endeavors, and when there is a community of reflective practitioners

ACCULTURATION AND POST-IMMIGRATION CHANGES IN OBESITY, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND NUTRITION: COMPARING HISPANICS AND ASIANS IN THE WATERLOO REGION, ONTARIO, CANADA.

OBJECTIVES: The acculturation hypothesis speculates that as new immigrants get exposed to more obesogenic environments, they progressively acquire the unhealthy lifestyles of the host society, and their obesity risk gradually increases since time of arrival. However, the consistency of the presumed acculturation effect across immigrant groups and gender, and the reasons behind individual changes in lifestyle behaviors remain unclear. Thus, this study investigated the acculturation hypothesis in the Canadian context by comparing two foreign groups, Hispanics and East/Southeast Asians, which present contrasting post-settlement obesity patterns and behavioral trends. Methods: A 41-item questionnaire (including open-ended questions) was administered with 100 first-generation immigrants in the K-W Region to gather information on weight-relatedmeasures, acculturation levels, psychological stress, lifestyle behaviors, and perceived causes of changes in diet and physical activity. A logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the likelihood of being overweight-obese, while interview transcripts were analyzed to identify response themes and explore causal relationships. RESULTS: Hispanics exhibited considerably higher body mass index levels and larger weight gains, and a nearly nine times higher overweight risk than East/Southeast Asians. Overweight risk was also higher for males and less-educated immigrants. Data collected shows that weight gains were larger for newcomers with high average psychological stress scores, and 38% of Hispanic participants mentioned either stress or depression as causes for their weight gains. The acculturation analysis revealed that East/Southeast Asians were significantly less integrated into Canadian society and more likely to maintain their traditional diets, while both groups reportedperceived-increased levels of recreational physical activity, which contradicts the belief of a linear uniform adoption of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. DISCUSSION: Results support the notion that the impact of duration of residence does vary by ethnicity and gender. Future prevention efforts should focus on the foreign groups most likely to develop obesity, and pay particular attention to less-educated immigrants, who may be more likely to acquire unhealthy habits after settlement. Results also highlight the emergence of acculturative stress as a significant obesity-risk factor, and support the implementation of obesity preventive efforts that help immigrants manage post-settlement-related feelings of anxiety and depression through the inclusion of social integration strategies. In an increasingly diverse and multiethnic Canada, we expect the dissemination of the research findings to help recent and long-term immigrants to become more aware of obesity-relatedissues, and thus facilitate the adoption of healthier lifestyles after settlement in Canada