Year: 2010
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: This study tested the importance of F0 variation for tone language comprehension.The intelligibility of Mandarin sentences with natural F0 contours was compared to the intelligibility of monotone (flat-F0) sentences created via speech resynthesis.In a quiet background, flat-F0 speech was just as intelligible as natural speech (about 94% intelligible), highlighting the robustness of the language comprehension system.However, when babble noise was added (0 db SNR) flat-F0 speech was substantially less intelligible than natural speech (60% vs. 80% intelligible), indicating that F0 variation is very important for Mandarin sentence intelligibility in noise.
Source: Speech prosody
Authors: Aniruddh D. Patel, Yi Xu, Bei Wang
Institutions: University College London, Minzu University of China
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W182096573