SPPA 4030 Speech Science 1

SPPA 4030 Speech ScienceInstructor: Stephen Tasko

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Speech science investigates the fundamental questions pertaining to how speech is produced and how it is perceived (Kent, 1997).

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The Speech Chain

(Denes & Pinson, 1993)

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Our primary focus

(Denes & Pinson, 1993)

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Speech production may be described as the systematic regulation of air pressures and flows within the lungs and vocal tract

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Why study speech science? Critical information is embedded in the

speech signal Phonetic information Affective information Personal information Transmittal information Diagnostic information

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Branches of physics and speech science Acoustics

Physics of sound Aerodynamics

Physics of air volumes, flows and pressures Kinematics

Physics of movement (displacement, velocity and acceleration) w/o regard to cause of movement

Dynamics Physics that deals with understanding the forces that

underlie movement

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Examples

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Biology and speech science Electrophysiology

Measuring electrical activity of the body Muscle activity (electromyography or EMG) Peripheral nerve activity (neurography) Central nervous system activity (e.g. electroencephalography or

EEG)

Neuroimaging Magnetic Resonanc Imaging (MRI) Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

Molecular Biology Ultrastructure of the speech apparatus

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Measuring the activity of our muscles (electromyography or EMG)

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Measuring the activity of our brain (a variety of techniques)