Comparison between two models for prominence perception

In the pitch-level difference (PLD) model proposed by Hermes and Rump (1994), the prominence len! by accent-lending pitch movements is proportional to the pitch-level difference between the vowel nucleus of the accented syllable and the vowel nucleus of the preceding syllable. The pitch level on the lower declination line, or baseline, and the pitch level on the upper declination line, or lopline, are thus regarded as equally important. This assumption was tested against that of an alternative model stating that only pilch levels on the loplines of the stimuli contribute to prominence. Results were somewhere in between the predictions of the two models, though closer to the predictions of the high-level (H) model. It is concluded that the PLD model makes too strong claims about the relevance of the position of the low pitch level. Higher pitch levels are more important than lower pitch levels, although pitch levels on the baselines do playa significant rol

A novel 3-bp deletion in the PANK2 gene of Dutch patients with pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration: evidence for a founder effect

Mutation analysis was performed in four apparently unrelated Dutch families with pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration, formerly known as Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome. A novel 3-bp deletion encompassing the nucleotides GAG at positions 1,142 to 1,144 of exon 5 of the PANK2 gene was found in all patients. One patient was compound heterozygous; she also carried a novel nonsense mutation (Ser68Stop). The other patients were homozygous for the 1142_1144delGAG mutation. The 1142_1144delGAG mutation was also found in a German patient of unknown descent. We used polymorphic microsatellite markers flanking the PANK2 gene (spanning a region of approximately 8 cM) for haplotype analyses in all these families. A conserved haplotype of 1.5 cM was found for the 1142_1144delGAG mutation carriers. All the Dutch families originated from the same geographical region within the Netherlands. The results indicate a founder effect and suggest that the 1142_1144delGAG mutation probably originated from one common ancestor. It was estimated that this mutation arose at the beginning of the ninth century, approximately 38 generations ago

The perception of prosodic prominence

No abstract