New Perspectives in Teaching Pronunciation

pp.165-18

A TEI-based Approach to Standardising Spoken Language Transcription

This paper formulates a proposal for standardising spoken language transcription, as practised in conversation analysis, sociolinguistics, dialectology and related fields, with the help of the TEI guidelines. Two areas relevant to standardisation are identified and discussed: first, the macro structure of transcriptions, as embodied in the data models and file formats of transcription tools such as ELAN, Praat or EXMARaLDA; second, the micro structure of transcriptions as embodied in transcription conventions such as CA, HIAT or GAT. A two-step process is described in which first the macro structure is represented in a generic TEI format based on elements defined in the P5 version of the Guidelines. In the second step, character data in this representation is parsed according to the regularities of a transcription convention resulting in a more fine-grained TEI markup which is also based on P5. It is argued that this two step process can, on the one hand, map idiosyncratic differences in tool formats and transcription conventions onto a unified representation. On the other hand, differences motivated by different theoretical decisions can be retained in a manner which still allows a common processing of data from different sources. In order to make the standard usable in practice, a conversion tool—TEI Drop—is presented which uses XSL transformations to carry out the conversion between different tool formats (CHAT, ELAN, EXMARaLDA, FOLKER and Transcriber) and the TEI representation of transcription macro structure (and vice versa) and which also provides methods for parsing the micro structure of transcriptions according to two different transcription conventions (HIAT and cGAT). Using this tool, transcribers can continue to work with software they are familiar with while still producing TEI-conformant transcription files. The paper concludes with a discussion of the work needed in order to establish the proposed standard. It is argued that both tool formats and the TEI guidelines are in a sufficiently mature state to serve as a basis for standardisation. Most work consequently remains in analysing and standardising differences between different transcription conventions

Proceedings of the VIIth GSCP International Conference

The 7th International Conference of the Gruppo di Studi sulla Comunicazione Parlata, dedicated to the memory of Claire Blanche-Benveniste, chose as its main theme Speech and Corpora. The wide international origin of the 235 authors from 21 countries and 95 institutions led to papers on many different languages. The 89 papers of this volume reflect the themes of the conference: spoken corpora compilation and annotation, with the technological connected fields; the relation between prosody and pragmatics; speech pathologies; and different papers on phonetics, speech and linguistic analysis, pragmatics and sociolinguistics. Many papers are also dedicated to speech and second language studies. The online publication with FUP allows direct access to sound and video linked to papers (when downloaded)

Pragmatics and Prosody

Most of the papers collected in this book resulted from presentations and discussions undertaken during the V Lablita Workshop that took place at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, on August 23-25, 2011. The workshop was held in conjunction with the II Brazilian Seminar on Pragmatics and Prosody. The guiding themes for the joint event were illocution, modality, attitude, information patterning and speech annotation. Thus, all papers presented here are concerned with theoretical and methodological issues related to the study of speech. Among the papers in this volume, there are different theoretical orientations, which are mirrored through the methodological designs of studies pursued. However, all papers are based on the analysis of actual speech, be it from corpora or from experimental contexts trying to emulate natural speech. Prosody is the keyword that comes out from all the papers in this publication, which indicates the high standing of this category in relation to studies that are geared towards the understanding of major elements that are constitutive of the structuring of speech

Illocution, Modality, Attitude, Information Patterning and Speech Annotation

Most of the papers collected in this book resulted from presentations and discussions undertaken during the V Lablita Workshop that took place at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, on August 23-25, 2011. The workshop was held in conjunction with the II Brazilian Seminar on Pragmatics and Prosody. The guiding themes for the joint event were illocution, modality, attitude, information patterning and speech annotation. Thus, all papers presented here are concerned with theoretical and methodological issues related to the study of speech. Among the papers in this volume, there are different theoretical orientations, which are mirrored through the methodological designs of studies pursued. However, all papers are based on the analysis of actual speech, be it from corpora or from experimental contexts trying to emulate natural speech. Prosody is the keyword that comes out from all the papers in this publication, which indicates the high standing of this category in relation to studies that are geared towards the understanding of major elements that are constitutive of the structuring of speech

VOICE QUALITY AND TV INTERPRETING: A PROPOSAL FOR A GESTALTIC EVALUATION

RESUMEN. La presente tesis doctoral es un estudio de interpretaci\uf3n basado en corpus y consiste en una propuesta de evaluaci\uf3n subjetiva de tipo gest\ue1ltico de la interpretaci\uf3n simult\ue1nea transmitida por televisi\uf3n. El objetivo principal del estudio ha sido la construcci\uf3n de un modelo de evaluaci\uf3n de la calidad basado en la percepci\uf3n gest\ue1ltica del habla y del sonido-imagen percibido a trav\ue9s del medio auiovisual. El modelo de percepci\uf3n gest\ue1ltica adoptado est\ue1 formado por voz-s\uedlaba-prosodia-sentido-contexto-conocimiento (ling\u3cb\uedstico) del mundo, propuesto en \u201cIl volto fonico delle parole\u201d (Albano Leoni 2009), que es una reelaboraci\uf3n del modelo basado en melod\ueda-ritmo-palabras-oraciones, propuesto por Karl B\u3cbhler en su \u201cTeor\ueda del lenguaje\u201d (1934). Se construy\uf3 un corpus tem\ue1tico formado por las interpretaciones en italiano (2) y en espa\uf1ol (2 \u2013 Espa\uf1a y Estados Unidos) de los Debates Presidenciales de Estados Unidos de 2012: el corpus ORenesit (Obama-Romney English espa\uf1ol italiano) se incluye en el corpus de referencia CorIT (Corpus Italiano de Interpretaci\uf3n Televisiva). El modelo de evaluaci\uf3n fue ensayado en una encuesta piloto basada en cuestionario, que incluye 3 extractos v\ueddeo de la interpretaci\uf3n en italiano del Tercer Debate Presidencial de EE.UU. de 2008, entre Obama y McCain, debido a que el corpus ORenesit todav\ueda no se hab\ueda terminado. Uno de los tres v\ueddeos fue modificado por fines experimentales: la voz del int\ue9rprete original se sustituy\uf3 por la de un actor doblador profesional que imit\uf3 en estudio la interpretaci\uf3n original leyendo la transcripci\uf3n y escuchando al orador. Esta decisi\uf3n respond\ueda a dos necesidades, relacionadas sobre todo a la validez ecol\uf3gica del experimento: a) ensayar el efecto de una voz teleg\ue9nica; b) utilizar la expresi\uf3n natural y personal del sujeto. El cuestionario se construy\uf3 sobre categor\uedas extra\ueddas de \u201cLa vive voix\u201d (F\uf3nagy 1983) e \u201cL\u2019Audio-Vision\u201d (Chion 1990). Los datos obtenidos del cuestionario se trataron estad\uedsticamente. Los resultados del estudio cuali-cuantitativo parecen confirmar una percepci\uf3n gest\ue1ltica de la interpretaci\uf3n simult\ue1nea percibida a trav\ue9s del medio audio-visual formada por las componentes: sonido-imagen, s\uedlaba-melod\ueda(-voz-personalidad), palabras-oraciones. Lor resultados parecen poner en duda la efectividad del enfoque cuantitativo para el an\ue1lisis de la percepci\uf3n del habla.ABSTRACT. The present thesis is a corpus-based Interpreting study consisting of a proposal for a gestaltic subjective evaluation of quality in television broadcast simultaneous interpreting. The main objective of the research was to build and test a model of quality assessment based on the gestaltic perception both of speech and the sound-image perceived through the audiovisual medium. The model of gestaltic perception adopted is the one formed by voice-syllable-prosody-sense-context-(linguistic) knowledge of the world, proposed in \u201cIl volto fonico delle parole\u201d (Albano Leoni 2009), which is a re-elaborated version of the model based on melody-rhythm-words-sentences, proposed by Karl B\u3cbhler in his \u201cTheory of Language\u201d (1934). A thematic corpus was built consisting of 2 Italian and 2 Spanish (Spain and United States) interpretations of the 2012 US Presidential Debates: the corpus ORenesit (Obama-Romney English espa\uf1ol italiano) is included in the reference corpus CorIT (Italian Television Interpreting Corpus). The assessment model was tested in a questionnaire-based pilot survey including 3 video excerpts from the Italian interpretations of the 2008 Third Presidential Debate (Obama vs. McCain), since the corpus ORenesit had not been completed yet. One of the 3 video excerpts was modified for experimental purpose: the interpreter\u2019s voice was replaced with the voice of a professional actor and dubber, who imitated in studio the original interpretation while reading the transcript and listening to the speaker. This choice was made to fulfill two needs, mainly related to the ecological validity of the experiment: i) to test the effect of a telegenic voice; and ii) to use a natural and personal expression of the subject. The questionnaire was built on categories extracted from the \u201cLa vive voix\u201d (F\uf3nagy 1983) and \u201cL\u2019Audio-Vision\u201d (Chion 1990). The data obtained were treated statistically. Results of the qualitative and quantitative research seem to confirm a gestaltic perception of interpreting speech received through audio-vision and formed by the following components: sound-image; syllable-melody(-voice-personality), words-sentences. Results seem to raise doubts on the effectiveness of the quantitative approach to the analysis of speech perception

Corpora e interpretazione simultanea

In questo volume è presentata una proposta di applicazione del corpus-based approach agli studi sull’interpretazione, con particolare riferimento alla modalità simultanea. A tal fine, sono discusse le principali questioni teorico-pratiche e metodologiche implicate nella creazione di corpora elettronici per lo studio e la didattica dell’interpretazione. Inoltre, sono illustrati due progetti di ricerca appartenenti ai Corpus-based Interpreting Studies (CIS) che hanno portato alla realizzazione di due corpora elettronici di interpretazione: EPIC (European Parliament Interpreting Corpus) e DIRSI-C (Directionality in Simultaneous Interpreting Corpus). Tali risorse linguistiche, la prima trilingue (italiano, inglese e spagnolo), la seconda bilingue (italiano e inglese), con i rispettivi archivi multimediali su cui si basano, offrono molteplici possibilità di indagine e attività didattiche, a conferma del grande potenziale di questo innovativo paradigma di ricerca, frutto dell’incontro interdisciplinare tra la linguistica dei corpora e gli studi sull’interpretazione

MULTIMEDIALITÀ WEB E DIDATTICA DELLA PROSODIA

La presenza del Web e l’introduzione di tecnologie informatiche di tipo immersivo e collaborativo nella didattica delle lingue straniere servono a ricreare un ambiente cognitivo tipico di un contesto extra-scolastico, nel tentativo di superare quel gap esistente tra apprendimento formale e apprendimento spontaneo. E’ importante prestare attenzione alle ‘modalità’ con cui le tecnologie contribuiscono a creare un ambiente di apprendimento, in cui gli aspetti cognitivi e sociali dell’interazione uomo-macchina si intrecciano formando un unico contesto operativo. In questa prospettiva la multimedialità avvolgente del Web opera una sensibilizzazione diversa delle varie parti della macchina cerebrale modificandone lentamente procedure di percezione e strategie cognitive, quasi fosse lo stimolo costante da parte di un habitat naturaliter multimediale. Alla base di questa prospettiva c’è una relazione stretta tra grammatiche dei media, funzionamento delle sensorialità umane e schemi cognitivi che le influenzano. L’obiettivo del progetto di ricerca è quello di sperimentarne la ricaduta nella didattica della lingua seconda/straniera (L2/LS) ad adulti, in particolare dell’italiano come lingua straniera, limitatamente all’aspetto dialogico e prosodico/intonativo attraverso il training nella capacità di ascolto-produzione dei suoni e dei pattern intonativi con il supporto degli speech analysis tool e della multimedialità Web. L’ipotesi principale su cui è basata la ricerca è che questa tecnologia, spesso di tipo individuale, nelle classi di lingua ottimizzi le occasioni di apprendimento immersivo e di gruppo, recuperando ed estendendo modalità di conoscenza linguistica della L1 nella didattica della L2 e rispettando le indicazioni del natural approach. I risultati, raccolti durante la sperimentazione, usando materiali autentici con studenti principianti della National University of Ireland - Galway, indicano che l’uso di un feedback audio-visivo aiuta gli studenti a migliorare la loro produzione in LS e ad avvicinarsi alla frase obiettivo, grazie all’azione immediata di un’immagine delle differenze tra L1 e LS. Il campo di ricerca è interdisciplinare sia all’interno della linguistica sia del Computer Assisted Language Learning. Il settore della sperimentazione riguarda l’insegnamento dell’italiano LS in modalità blended learning, a metà tra la formazione in presenza e quella a distanza, attraverso l’utilizzo integrato del metodo percettivo e di quello strumentale nell’acquisizione dell’intonazione.The presence of the Web and the introduction of immersive and collaborative computer technology in the teaching of foreign languages can help to re-create a relaxed cognitive environment and overcome the gap between formal and spontaneous learning. However, it is important to consider the 'mode' in which technologies help to create a learning environment in which the cognitive and social aspects of the human - machine interaction are intertwined to form a single operating environment. In this perspective the enveloping multimediality of the Web stimulates different types of awareness in the various parts of the brain slowly modifying processes of perception and cognitive strategies, and submitting them to constant stimuli from a multimedial habitat naturaliter. In this perspective, there is a close relationship between the grammars of the media, the functioning of the human sensory systems and the cognitive schemata that influence them. The aim of this research study is to apply collaborative computer technology and multimedial environments to adult Foreign Language (FL) and Second Language (SL) teaching (in particular Italian as a foreign language), in order to develop and enhance dialogical and prosodic/intonational awareness through training in listening/production of sounds and intonation patterns with the support of speech analysis tools. The main hypothesis on which the research is based, is that technology, normally used in individual training, can in fact maximize opportunities for immersive group learning, by recovering and extending modes of L1 language knowledge into SL teaching and learning, in accordance with Krashen’s theory of natural approach. The data collected during the trial, which used authentic oral texts with ab initio students from the National University of Ireland - Galway, indicate that the implementation of audio-visual feedback helps learn¬ers to improve their FL production and to get closer to the target utterance. This is done through the support of an immediate and easy-to-read visual image of the differences between L1 and FL. The field of research of this paper is interdisciplinary and involves both Linguistics and Computer Assisted Language Learning. The field of the experiment concerns the teaching of Italian as FL in blended learning, therefore halfway between face-to-face and distance learning, through the integrated use of the perceptive and the instrumental method in the acquisition of intonation