Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-8kt4b Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-07T17:55:11.176Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Acoustic development of vowel production in native Mandarin-speaking children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 July 2017

Jing Yang  and
Robert A. Fox
Jing Yang
Affiliation:
Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Central [email protected]
Robert A. Fox
Affiliation:
Department of Speech and Hearing Science, The Ohio State [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The present study aims to document the developmental profile of static and dynamic acoustic features of vowel productions in monolingual Mandarin-speaking children aged between three and six years in comparison to adults. Twenty-nine monolingual Mandarin children and 12 native Mandarin adults were recorded producing ten Mandarin disyllabic words containing five monophthongal vowel phonemes /a i u y ɤ/. F1 and F2 values were measured at five equidistant temporal locations (the 20–35–50–65–80% points of the vowel's duration) and normalized. Scatter plots showed clear separations between vowel categories although the size of individual vowel categories exhibited a decreasing trend as the age increased. This indicates that speakers as young as three years old could separate these five Mandarin vowels in the acoustic space but they were still refining the acoustic properties of their vowel production as they matured. Although the tested vowels were monophthongs, they were still characterized by distinctive formant movement patterns. Mandarin children generally demonstrated formant movement patterns comparable to those of adult speakers. However, children still showed positional variation and differed from adults in the magnitudes of spectral change for certain vowels. This indicates that vowel development is a long-term process which extends beyond three years of age.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the International Phonetic Association , Volume 49 , Issue 1 , April 2019 , pp. 33 - 51
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © International Phonetic Association 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adank, Patti, Smits, Roel & van Hout, Roeland. 2004. A comparison of vowel normalization procedures for language variation research. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 116, 3099–3107.Google Scholar
Assmann, Peter F., Nearey, Terrance M. & Bharadwaj, Sneha V.. 2013. Development patterns in children's speech: Patterns of spectral change in vowels. In Morrison, Geoffrey Stewart & Assmann, Peter F. (eds.), Vowel inherent spectral change, 199–230. Berlin: Springer.Google Scholar
Barton, David & Macken, Marlys A.. 1980. An instrumental analysis of the voicing contrast in word-initial stops in the speech of four-year-old English-speaking children. Language and Speech 23, 159–169.Google Scholar
Busby, Peter A. & Plant, G. L.. 1995. Formant frequency values of vowels produced by preadolescent boys and girls. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 97, 2603–2606.Google Scholar
Chang, Chiung-Yun. 2010. Dialect differences in the production and perception of Mandarin Chinese tones. Ph.D. dissertation. The Ohio State University.Google Scholar
Chung, Hyunju, Kong, Eun Jong, Edwards, Jan, Weismer, Gary, Fourakis, Marios & Hwang, Youngdeok. 2012. Cross-linguistic studies of children's and adults’ vowel spaces. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 131, 442–454.Google Scholar
Davis, Barbara L. & MacNeilage, Peter F.. 1990. Acquisition of correct vowel production: A quantitative case study. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research 33, 16–27.Google Scholar
Edwards, Jan & Beckman, Mary E.. 2008. Methodological questions in studying consonant acquisition. Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics 22, 937–956.Google Scholar
Fox, Robert A. & Jacewicz, Ewa. 2009. Cross-dialectal variation in formant dynamics of American English vowels. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 126, 2603–2618.Google Scholar
Fox, Robert A. & Jacewicz, Ewa. 2010. Dialect and generational differences in vowel space areas. In Botinis, Antonis (ed.), Proceedings of ISCA Tutorial and Research Workshop on Experimental Linguistics, 37–40. ISCA and the University of Athens, Greece.Google Scholar
Gilbert, Harvey R., Robb, Michael P. & Chen, Yang. 1997. Formant frequency development: 15 to 36 months. Journal of Voice 11(3), 260–266.Google Scholar
Green, Jordan R., Moore, Christopher A. & Reilly, Kevin J.. 2002. The sequential development of jaw and lip control for speech. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research 45, 66–79.Google Scholar
Hare, Gayle J. 1983. Development at 2 years. In Irwin, & Wong, (eds.), 55–88.Google Scholar
Harrington, Jonathan & Cassidy, Stephen. 1994. Dynamic and target theories of vowel classification: Evidence from monophthongs and diphthongs in Australian English. Language and Speech 37, 357–373.Google Scholar
Higgins, Carolyn M. & Hodge, Megan M.. 2001. F2/F1 vowel quadrilateral area in young children with and without dysarthria. Canadian Acoustics 29, 66–68.Google Scholar
Hillenbrand, James, Getty, Laura A., Clark, Michael J. & Wheeler, Kimberlee. 1995. Acoustic characteristics of American English vowels. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 97(5), 3099–3111.Google Scholar
Hoole, Philip & Hu, Fang. 2004. Tone–vowel interaction in standard Chinese. Presented at the International Symposium on Tonal Aspects of Languages: With Emphasis on Tone Languages.Google Scholar
Irwin, John V. & Wong, Seok P. (eds.). 1983. Phonological development in children: 18–72 months. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press.Google Scholar
Jacewicz, Ewa, Fox, Robert A. & Salmons, Joseph. 2011a. Cross-generational vowel change in American English. Language Variation and Change 23(1), 45–86.Google Scholar
Jacewicz, Ewa, Fox, Robert A. & Salmons, Joseph. 2011b. Regional dialect variation in the vowel systems of typically developing children. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research 54, 448–470.Google Scholar
Jacewicz, Ewa, Fox, Robert A. & Salmons, Joseph. 2011c. Vowel change across three age groups of speakers in three regional varieties of American English. Journal of Phonetics 39, 683–693.Google Scholar
Jacewicz, Ewa, Salmons, Joseph & Fox, Robert A.. 2009. Prosodic conditioning, vowel dynamics and sound change. In Féry, Caroline, Kügler, Frank & van de Vijver, Ruben (eds.), Variation and gradience in phonetics and phonology, 99–124. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.Google Scholar
Jeng, Heng-hsiung. 1979. The acquisition of Chinese phonology in relation to Jakobson's laws of irreversible solidarity. Proceedings of 9th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences (ICPhS IX), vol. 2, 155–161. Stockholm: Institute of Phonetics.Google Scholar
Kent, Raymond D. & Forner, Linda L.. 1980. Speech segment durations in sentence recitations by children and adults. Journal of Phonetics 8, 157–168.Google Scholar
Kent, Raymond D. & Murray, Ann D.. 1982. Acoustic features of infant vocalic utterances at 3, 6, and 9 months. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 72(2), 353–365.Google Scholar
Kent, Raymond D. & Read, Charles. 1992. The acoustic analysis of speech. San Diego, CA: Singular Publishing.Google Scholar
Kuhl, Patricia K. & Meltzoff, Andrew N.. 1996. Infant vocalizations in response to speech: Vocal imitation and development change. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 100(4), 2425–2438.Google Scholar
Lee, Sungbok, Potamianos, Alexandros & Narayanan, Shrikanth. 1999. Acoustics of children's speech: Developmental changes of temporal and spectral parameters. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 105, 1455–1468.Google Scholar
Lee-Kim, Sang-Im. 2014. Revisiting Mandarin ‘apical vowels’: An articulatory and acoustic study. Journal of the International Phonetic Association 44(3), 261–282.Google Scholar
Lin, Maocan. 1988. Putonghua shengdiao de shengxue texing he zhijue zhengzhao [The acoustic characteristics and perceptual cues of tones in Standard Chinese]. Zhongguo Yuwen [Chinese Language and Writing] 204, 182–193.Google Scholar
Liu, Huei-Mei., Cao, Feng-Ming & Kuhl, Patricia L.. 2005. The effect of reduced vowel working space on speech intelligibility in Mandarin-speaking young adults with cerebral palsy. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 117, 3879–3889.Google Scholar
Lobanov, Boris M. 1971. Classification of Russian vowels spoken by different listeners. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 49, 606–608.Google Scholar
Milenkovic, Paul. 2003. TF32 software program. University of Wisconsin–Madison.Google Scholar
Nearey, Terrance M. 2013. Vowel inherent spectral change in the vowels of North American English. In Morrison, Geoffrey Stewart & Assmann, Peter F. (eds.), Vowel inherent spectral change. Berlin: Springer.Google Scholar
Nearey, Terrance M. & Assmann, Peter F.. 1986. Modeling the role of inherent spectral change in vowel identification. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 80, 1297–1308.Google Scholar
Nittrouer, Susan. 1993. The emergence of mature gestural patterns is not uniform: Evidence from an acoustic study. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research 36, 959–972.Google Scholar
Otomo, Kiyoshi & Stoel-Gammon, Carol. 1992. The acquisition of unrounded vowels in English. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research 35, 604–616.Google Scholar
Paschall, Leslie. 1983. Development at 18 months. In Irwin, & Wong, (eds.), 27–54.Google Scholar
Sharkey, Susan G. & Folkins, John W.. 1985. Variability of lip and jaw movements in children and adults: Implications for the development of speech motor control. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research 28, 8–15.Google Scholar
Shi, Feng & Wen, Baoying. 2007. Hanyu Putonghua ertong de yuanyin fazhan [Vowel development of Mandarin-speaking children]. Zhongguo Yuwen [Chinese language and Writing] 5, 444–454.Google Scholar
Si, Yuying. 2006. Putonghua ertong yuyin xide de ge'an yanjiug [The acquisition of Puthonghua Phonology: A case study]. Dangdai Yuyanxue [Contemporary Linguistics] 1, 93–94.Google Scholar
Smith, Anne. 2006. Speech motor development: Integrating muscles, movements and linguistic units. Journal of Communication Disorders 39, 331–349.Google Scholar
Smith, Anne & Zelaznik, Howard N.. 2004. The development of functional synergies for speech motor coordination in childhood and adolescence. Developmental Psychobiology 45, 22–33.Google Scholar
Smith, Bruce L. 1978. Temporal aspects of English speech production: A developmental perspective. Journal of Phonetics 6, 37–67.Google Scholar
Smith, Bruce L. 1991. Relationships between duration and temporal variability in children's speech. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 91, 2165–2174.Google Scholar
Smith, Bruce L. & Gartenberg, Terri E.. 1984. Initial observations concerning developmental characteristics of labio‐mandibular kinematics. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 75(5), 1599–1605.Google Scholar
Smith, Neilson Voyne. 1973. The acquisition of phonology. New York: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Stoel-Gammon, Carol & Herrington, Paula Beckett. 1990. Vowel systems of normally developing and phonologically disordered children. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics 4(2), 145–160.Google Scholar
Templin, Mildred C. 1957. Certain language skills in children: Their development and interrelationships (Institute of Child Welfare Monographs 26). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.Google Scholar
Thomas, Erik R. & Kendall, Tyler. 2007. NORM: The vowel normalization and plotting suite. http://ncslaap.lib.ncsu.edu/tools/norm/about_norm1.php#scaling, accessed on 9 March 2013.Google Scholar
Vihman, Marilyn May. 1993. Variable paths to early word production. Journal of Phonetics 21, 61–82.Google Scholar
Vihman, Marilyn May, Ferguson, Charles A. & Elbert, Mary. 1986. Phonological development from babbling to speech: Common tendencies and individual differences. Applied Psycholinguistics 7, 3–40.Google Scholar
Vorperian, Houri K. & Kent, Raymond D.. 2007. Vowel acoustic space development in children: A synthesis of acoustic and anatomic data. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research 50(6), 1510–1545.Google Scholar
Walsh, Bridget & Smith, Anne. 2002. Articulatory movements in adolescents: Evidence for protracted development of speech motor control processes. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research 45, 1119–1133.Google Scholar
Waterson, Natalie. 1971. Child phonology: A prosodic view. Journal of Linguistics 7, 179–211.Google Scholar
Weismer, Gary, Jeng, J-Y., Laures, Jacqueline S., Kent, Raymond D. & Kent, Jane F.. 2001. Acoustic and intelligibility characteristics of sentence production in neurogenic speech disorders. Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica 53, 1–18.Google Scholar
Wellman, Beth L., Case, Ida Mae, Mengert, Ida Gaarder & Bradbury, Dorothy Edith. 1931. Speech sounds of young children, In Stoddard, G. D. (ed.), University of Iowa Studies in Child Welfare 5(2), 7–80. Iowa City, IO: University of Iowa Press.Google Scholar
Xu, Li., Tsai, Yuhjung & Pfingst, Bryan E.. 2002. Features of stimulation affecting tonal-speech perception: Implications for cochlear prostheses. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 112(1), 247–258.Google Scholar
Yuan, Jiahong. 2013. The spectral dynamics of vowels in Mandarin Chinese. Proceedings of the 14th Annual Conference of the International Speech Communication Association (INTERSPEECH 2013), 1193–1197.Google Scholar
Zhu, Hua & Dodd, Barbara. 2000. The phonological acquisition of Putonghua (Modern Standard Chinese). Journal of Child Language 27(1), 3–42.Google Scholar
Zhou, Ning & Xu, Li. 2008. Lexical tone recognition with spectrally mismatched envelopes. Hearing Research 246, 36–43.Google Scholar