Chenghui Jiang1, Tara L Whitehill2, Bradley McPherson2, Manwa L Ng2. 1. Stomatological College, Nanjing Medical University, China; Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, China. Electronic address: jiangchenghui_26@njmu.edu.cn. 2. Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To explore the spectral differences in frication noise between aspirated and unaspirated affricates in typical Putonghua (standard Mandarin Chinese) pre-adolescent speakers, and to compare the spectral characteristics of affricate production between speakers with repaired cleft palate and their non-cleft peers. PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTION: Spectral moment analysis, a quantitative approach to capture the contour of speech spectra, was carried out on speech samples produced by two groups of speakers: (a) speakers with repaired cleft palate (n=14, mean age=11.7 years) and (b) typical speakers (n=10, mean age=11.0 years). RESULTS: Data from typical speakers showed that the unaspirated affricates had significantly higher first spectral moment (M1) than their aspirated counterparts. Compared with typical speakers, individuals with repaired cleft palate exhibited a lower first moment for the four affricates /ts, tʂ, tɕ(h), tɕ/. CONCLUSION: The results revealed important acoustical differences between aspirated and unaspirated affricates for typical speakers. The trend of spectral deviation may have contributed to the difficulty in producing unaspirated affricates found in Putonghua-speaking individuals with speech disorders related to cleft palate.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the spectral differences in frication noise between aspirated and unaspirated affricates in typical Putonghua (standard Mandarin Chinese) pre-adolescent speakers, and to compare the spectral characteristics of affricate production between speakers with repaired cleft palate and their non-cleft peers. PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTION: Spectral moment analysis, a quantitative approach to capture the contour of speech spectra, was carried out on speech samples produced by two groups of speakers: (a) speakers with repaired cleft palate (n=14, mean age=11.7 years) and (b) typical speakers (n=10, mean age=11.0 years). RESULTS: Data from typical speakers showed that the unaspirated affricates had significantly higher first spectral moment (M1) than their aspirated counterparts. Compared with typical speakers, individuals with repaired cleft palate exhibited a lower first moment for the four affricates /ts, tʂ, tɕ(h), tɕ/. CONCLUSION: The results revealed important acoustical differences between aspirated and unaspirated affricates for typical speakers. The trend of spectral deviation may have contributed to the difficulty in producing unaspirated affricates found in Putonghua-speaking individuals with speech disorders related to cleft palate.
Authors: Samantha Jhingree; Yushan Xie; Clare Bocklage; Natalie Giduz; Kevin Moss; David Zajac; Laura Anne Jacox Journal: Perspect ASHA Spec Interest Groups Date: 2022-05-05