Speech Perception and Speech Theories

Motor aspect of speech sounds, represented with brackets [ ].

Phonetics

Study of the role of sounds in culture/phonology, represented with slanted lines / /.

Phonemics

Process of mapping acoustic, visual, or tactile signals onto language forms.

Speech Perception

Begin speech perception as soon as they can hear, discriminating at the phoneme level.

Infants

Critical period for language development from ages 0-5.

Sponge Era

Acoustic properties of speech, including intonation, intensity, and speaking rate.

Speech Acoustics

Graphical representation of frequency over time in speech.

Spectrogram

Features such as tongue height, mouth openness, lip rounding, and tenseness.

Vowel Characteristics

Defined by manner, placement, and voicing.

Consonant Characteristics

Concept linking specific sounds to corresponding phonemes.

Linearity

Dividing speech signals into discrete units.

Segmentation

Ability to understand sounds pronounced differently by various speakers.

Speaker Normalization

Emphasizes the link between perception and production in speech.

Active Perception

Focuses on sensory aspects of speech perception.

Passive Perception

Recognition of sound based on the acoustic signal.

Bottom-Up Processing

Recognition of sound based on higher-level linguistic information.

Top-Down Processing

Serial processing of speech signals.

Autonomous Processing

Analyzing the acoustic signal as a whole.

Interactive Processing

Links speech perception to the ability to produce sounds.

Motor Theory

Each phoneme has distinct features identifiable through production.

Acoustic Invariance Theory

Perception of speech signals as a whole.

Direct Realism

Combines top-down and bottom-up processing in speech perception.

TRACE Model

Provides meaning and context to words upon hearing.

Logogen Theory

Identifies possible words based on initial sounds and context.

Cohort Theory

Uses a fuzzy approach to determine sound presence.

Fuzzy Logical Model

Familiar sounds are prioritized in early infancy.

Native Language Magnet Theory

Describes vowel production through source and filter elements.

Source Filter Theory

Controls airflow and protects the airway during swallowing.

Larynx

A signal with a periodic pattern but variations in amplitude.

Quasi-Periodic Signal

Cavities that act as natural resonators for speech sounds.

Vocal Tracts

The lowest frequency produced by a vocal system.

Fundamental Frequency (F0)

Frequencies used to differentiate vowels, with F1 and F2 being key.

Formants

Visual representation of speech sounds, distinguishing periodic and aperiodic signals.

Spectrogram

Characteristics that differentiate sounds, including sonorant and consonantal sounds.

Distinctive Features

Features such as stress, intonation, duration, and pausing in speech.

Suprasegmentals

Sounds produced with a closed vocal tract.

Consonantal Sounds

Acoustic segment associated with nasal sound production.

Nasal Murmur

Sounds produced with aperiodic sound waves.

Fricatives

Combination of stop and fricative sounds.

Affricatives

Sounds produced with minimal friction, including glides and liquids.

Approximants