Raymond D Kent1, Houri K Vorperian2. 1. Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States. Electronic address: kent@waisman.wisc.edu. 2. Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Data on vowel formants have been derived primarily from static measures representing an assumed steady state. This review summarizes data on formant frequencies and bandwidths for American English and also addresses (a) sources of variability (focusing on speech sample and time sampling point), and (b) methods of data reduction such as vowel area and dispersion. METHOD: Searches were conducted with CINAHL, Google Scholar, MEDLINE/PubMed, SCOPUS, and other online sources including legacy articles and references. The primary search items were vowels, vowel space area, vowel dispersion, formants, formant frequency, and formant bandwidth. RESULTS: Data on formant frequencies and bandwidths are available for both sexes over the lifespan, but considerable variability in results across studies affects even features of the basic vowel quadrilateral. Origins of variability likely include differences in speech sample and time sampling point. The data reveal the emergence of sex differences by 4 years of age, maturational reductions in formant bandwidth, and decreased formant frequencies with advancing age in some persons. It appears that a combination of methods of data reduction provide for optimal data interpretation. CONCLUSION: The lifespan database on vowel formants shows considerable variability within specific age-sex groups, pointing to the need for standardized procedures.
PURPOSE: Data on vowel formants have been derived primarily from static measures representing an assumed steady state. This review summarizes data on formant frequencies and bandwidths for American English and also addresses (a) sources of variability (focusing on speech sample and time sampling point), and (b) methods of data reduction such as vowel area and dispersion. METHOD: Searches were conducted with CINAHL, Google Scholar, MEDLINE/PubMed, SCOPUS, and other online sources including legacy articles and references. The primary search items were vowels, vowel space area, vowel dispersion, formants, formant frequency, and formant bandwidth. RESULTS: Data on formant frequencies and bandwidths are available for both sexes over the lifespan, but considerable variability in results across studies affects even features of the basic vowel quadrilateral. Origins of variability likely include differences in speech sample and time sampling point. The data reveal the emergence of sex differences by 4 years of age, maturational reductions in formant bandwidth, and decreased formant frequencies with advancing age in some persons. It appears that a combination of methods of data reduction provide for optimal data interpretation. CONCLUSION: The lifespan database on vowel formants shows considerable variability within specific age-sex groups, pointing to the need for standardized procedures.
Authors: Mark VanDam; Anne S Warlaumont; Elika Bergelson; Alejandrina Cristia; Melanie Soderstrom; Paul De Palma; Brian MacWhinney Journal: Semin Speech Lang Date: 2016-04-25 Impact factor: 1.761
Authors: Paul H Milenkovic; Madison Wagner; Raymond D Kent; Brad H Story; Houri K Vorperian Journal: J Acoust Soc Am Date: 2020-03 Impact factor: 1.840
Authors: Irene Hidalgo-De la Guía; Elena Garayzábal-Heinze; Pedro Gómez-Vilda; Rafael Martínez-Olalla; Daniel Palacios-Alonso Journal: Front Hum Neurosci Date: 2021-06-03 Impact factor: 3.169