HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), May 22, 2012
ABSTRACT A basic constituent of French intonation is the Accentual Phrase (AP), which includes tw... more ABSTRACT A basic constituent of French intonation is the Accentual Phrase (AP), which includes two distinct tonal events: a final LH* accentual rise and an initial LHi rise. A previous study had shown a difference between the rising movements according to the the position of the AP within the intonational phrase (IP): prenuclear (P, IP-initial) versus nuclear (N, IP-final). The present paper explains this difference through the occurrence of a LHi in P position which does not occur in N position. Specifically, we tested whether LHi can occur adjacent to LH* within the AP and whether the occurrence of LHi triggers initial strengthening of the onset consonant independent of its status (as a liaison consonant or not). Four native speakers of French read target words varying as to their distribution within the intonation phrase as well as to the segmental nature of the target syllable onset (/k/ onset versus /z/ liaison). Results confirm that LHi can be immediately adjacent to LH* within the AP, but only in P position and that the height of its H target is influenced by onset consonant type. The results are discuss relative to the phonological status of the initial rise and the phonological structure of the nuclear pitch accent in our data.
This study uses dialect imitation across typologically different prosodic systems to explore the ... more This study uses dialect imitation across typologically different prosodic systems to explore the type of phonetic detail that is accessible from recently experienced intonation patterns. Specifically, Singapore English (SgE) speakers imitated Yes/No questions produced by an American English (AmE) speaker. Although both varieties use a final rising contour in this context, the AmE contour involves a rightward inflection (S-like curvature), while the SgE contour is concave. We therefore used a 3rd-order polynomial fitting analysis to compare the degree of inflection in the SgE baseline tokens, the AmE contour, and the imitation tokens. The SgE speakers were clearly able to approximate the overall f0 scaling of the AmE pattern across different regions of the contour, however, they showed no robust tendency to approximate the higher order shape of the contour. This suggests that speakers could not hear the shape differences due to perceptual assimilation effects, in which case the imita...
Recent studies have investigated phonetic and phonological direct dialect imitation in intonation... more Recent studies have investigated phonetic and phonological direct dialect imitation in intonation, though no study has yet explored metrical convergence. In this study we therefore test the assumption that speakers of standard French can mimic the metrical properties of a Southern French variety, having a different foot structure, by inserting a schwa either in word-final or in word-medial position. In line with our hypothesis, Standard French speakers were able to produce a greater number of schwas in the Imitation phase, with the result of inserting a weak syllable. Moreover, the effect was stronger word-medially, which we explain through a phonological constraint preventing a left headed foot to appear in word-final position.
The Italian language is characterized by an extremely strong phonetic and phonological variation ... more The Italian language is characterized by an extremely strong phonetic and phonological variation that differentiates the language across space, communicative situations, social groups and socio-economic classes, and means of communication (Berruto 2010, 2012). In this chapter, we consider the phonetic and phonological variation at the intonational and prosodic level as it is found in the varieties of Italian, that is, in the official language of Italy as spoken by speakers with different regional accents. In particular, we focus on varieties of Italian spoken in most of the areas identified in previous dialectological studies. One of the possible cartographic representations of the distribution and differentiation of the dialetti spoken in Italy is shown in Fig. 5.1. As the map shows, a usual distinction is made between the Romance dialetti spoken northern than the line connecting La Spezia and Rimini (Walter von Wartburg (1936 [1950]) that reflects a bundle if isoglosses differenti...
While many studies have demonstrated the relationship between musical rhythm and speech prosody, ... more While many studies have demonstrated the relationship between musical rhythm and speech prosody, this has been rarely addressed in the context of second language (L2) acquisition. Here, we investigated whether musical rhythmic skills and the production of L2 speech prosody are predictive of one another. We tested both musical and linguistic rhythmic competences of 23 native French speakers of L2 English. Participants completed perception and production music and language tests. In the prosody production test, sentences containing trisyllabic words with either a prominence on the first or on the second syllable were heard and had to be reproduced. Participants were less accurate in reproducing penultimate accent placement. Moreover, the accuracy in reproducing phonologically disfavored stress patterns was best predicted by rhythm production abilities. Our results show, for the first time, that better reproduction of musical rhythmic sequences is predictive of a more successful realiz...
Cet article a pour objectif d’expliciter le lien direct qui existe entre les travaux en prosodie ... more Cet article a pour objectif d’expliciter le lien direct qui existe entre les travaux en prosodie menes aujourd’hui a Aix-en-Provence et les travaux qui ont ete conduits depuis les annees 70 par ce que l’on appelait alors « l’Ecole d’Aix en Prosodie ». Ce lien sera etabli au moyen de trois notions principales : les notions de cible tonale, de constituance prosodique et d’interface entre la prosodie et les autres niveaux de la grammaire.
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), May 22, 2012
ABSTRACT A basic constituent of French intonation is the Accentual Phrase (AP), which includes tw... more ABSTRACT A basic constituent of French intonation is the Accentual Phrase (AP), which includes two distinct tonal events: a final LH* accentual rise and an initial LHi rise. A previous study had shown a difference between the rising movements according to the the position of the AP within the intonational phrase (IP): prenuclear (P, IP-initial) versus nuclear (N, IP-final). The present paper explains this difference through the occurrence of a LHi in P position which does not occur in N position. Specifically, we tested whether LHi can occur adjacent to LH* within the AP and whether the occurrence of LHi triggers initial strengthening of the onset consonant independent of its status (as a liaison consonant or not). Four native speakers of French read target words varying as to their distribution within the intonation phrase as well as to the segmental nature of the target syllable onset (/k/ onset versus /z/ liaison). Results confirm that LHi can be immediately adjacent to LH* within the AP, but only in P position and that the height of its H target is influenced by onset consonant type. The results are discuss relative to the phonological status of the initial rise and the phonological structure of the nuclear pitch accent in our data.
This study uses dialect imitation across typologically different prosodic systems to explore the ... more This study uses dialect imitation across typologically different prosodic systems to explore the type of phonetic detail that is accessible from recently experienced intonation patterns. Specifically, Singapore English (SgE) speakers imitated Yes/No questions produced by an American English (AmE) speaker. Although both varieties use a final rising contour in this context, the AmE contour involves a rightward inflection (S-like curvature), while the SgE contour is concave. We therefore used a 3rd-order polynomial fitting analysis to compare the degree of inflection in the SgE baseline tokens, the AmE contour, and the imitation tokens. The SgE speakers were clearly able to approximate the overall f0 scaling of the AmE pattern across different regions of the contour, however, they showed no robust tendency to approximate the higher order shape of the contour. This suggests that speakers could not hear the shape differences due to perceptual assimilation effects, in which case the imita...
Recent studies have investigated phonetic and phonological direct dialect imitation in intonation... more Recent studies have investigated phonetic and phonological direct dialect imitation in intonation, though no study has yet explored metrical convergence. In this study we therefore test the assumption that speakers of standard French can mimic the metrical properties of a Southern French variety, having a different foot structure, by inserting a schwa either in word-final or in word-medial position. In line with our hypothesis, Standard French speakers were able to produce a greater number of schwas in the Imitation phase, with the result of inserting a weak syllable. Moreover, the effect was stronger word-medially, which we explain through a phonological constraint preventing a left headed foot to appear in word-final position.
The Italian language is characterized by an extremely strong phonetic and phonological variation ... more The Italian language is characterized by an extremely strong phonetic and phonological variation that differentiates the language across space, communicative situations, social groups and socio-economic classes, and means of communication (Berruto 2010, 2012). In this chapter, we consider the phonetic and phonological variation at the intonational and prosodic level as it is found in the varieties of Italian, that is, in the official language of Italy as spoken by speakers with different regional accents. In particular, we focus on varieties of Italian spoken in most of the areas identified in previous dialectological studies. One of the possible cartographic representations of the distribution and differentiation of the dialetti spoken in Italy is shown in Fig. 5.1. As the map shows, a usual distinction is made between the Romance dialetti spoken northern than the line connecting La Spezia and Rimini (Walter von Wartburg (1936 [1950]) that reflects a bundle if isoglosses differenti...
While many studies have demonstrated the relationship between musical rhythm and speech prosody, ... more While many studies have demonstrated the relationship between musical rhythm and speech prosody, this has been rarely addressed in the context of second language (L2) acquisition. Here, we investigated whether musical rhythmic skills and the production of L2 speech prosody are predictive of one another. We tested both musical and linguistic rhythmic competences of 23 native French speakers of L2 English. Participants completed perception and production music and language tests. In the prosody production test, sentences containing trisyllabic words with either a prominence on the first or on the second syllable were heard and had to be reproduced. Participants were less accurate in reproducing penultimate accent placement. Moreover, the accuracy in reproducing phonologically disfavored stress patterns was best predicted by rhythm production abilities. Our results show, for the first time, that better reproduction of musical rhythmic sequences is predictive of a more successful realiz...
Cet article a pour objectif d’expliciter le lien direct qui existe entre les travaux en prosodie ... more Cet article a pour objectif d’expliciter le lien direct qui existe entre les travaux en prosodie menes aujourd’hui a Aix-en-Provence et les travaux qui ont ete conduits depuis les annees 70 par ce que l’on appelait alors « l’Ecole d’Aix en Prosodie ». Ce lien sera etabli au moyen de trois notions principales : les notions de cible tonale, de constituance prosodique et d’interface entre la prosodie et les autres niveaux de la grammaire.
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