Aoustical and perceptual characteristics of mandarin consonants produced with an electrolarynx

• Published in: Speech communication Vol. 123; pp. 26 - 34
• Main Authors: Xiao, Ke, Zhang, Bo, Wang, Supin, Wan, Mingxi, Wu, Liang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.10.2020; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Acoustic characteristics; Acoustics; Confusion; Consonants; Consonants (speech); EL consonants; Electromechanical devices; Intelligibility; Larynx; Mandarin; Mandarin speech; Patients; Perceptual intelligibility; Sound intensity; Speech duration; Speech perception; Voice onset time (VOT); Perceptual intelligibility; Mandarin speech; Acoustic characteristics; EL consonants
• ISSN: 0167-6393; 1872-7182
• DOI: 10.1016/j.specom.2020.06.004

•Consonant confusion in mandarin EL speech is related to the manner of articulation rather than to the place of articulation.•Consonant confusion in mandarin EL speech has three patterns: “voiced-for-voiceless” confusion, “unaspirated-for-aspirated” confusion and “perceptual-omission” confusion.•“Unaspirated-for-aspirated” confusion is majorly attributed to shortened voice onset time of aspirated consonants.•Both “voiced-for-voiceless” confusion and “perceptual-omission” confusion are mainly attributed to low speech intensity and continuous pulsing of EL device. The electrolarynx (EL) is an electromechanical device that enables patients to produce voice following the surgical removal of their larynx. The purpose of this study is to understand the acoustic and perceptual characteristics of Mandarin consonants produced by EL speakers. First, the acoustic characteristics (including speech intensity, consonant duration, spectral peak, and F2 onset) of Mandarin EL consonants are investigated by comparing the EL and normal consonants. Then, a perceptual evaluation of EL consonants is conducted to identify the relationship between acoustical characteristics and perceptual intelligibility. The results suggest three consonant confusion types are mainly responsible for the poor intelligibility of Mandarin EL consonants: (1) the “unaspirated-for-aspirated” confusion caused by the significantly shortened voice onset time of aspirated consonants; (2) the “voiced-for-voiceless” confusion caused by the continuous pulsing of the EL device and low consonant intensity; and (3) the “perceptual omission” caused by low intensity of consonants and / or consonant omission. The results obtained are promising and potential for further improvements in Mandarin EL speech intelligibility.