Harry Lang

Abstract

The speech of profoundly deaf persons often exhibits acquired unnatural rhythms, or a random pattern of rhythms. Inappropriate pause-time and speech-time durations are common in their speech. Specific rhythm deficiencies include abnormal rate of syllable utterance, improper grouping, poor timing and phrasing of syllables and unnatural stress for accent and emphasis. Assuming that temporal features are fundamental to the naturalness of spoken language, these abnormal timing patterns are often detractive. They may even be important factors in the decreased intelligibility of the speech. This thesis explores the significance of temporal cues in the rhythmic patterns of speech. An analysis-synthesis approach was employed based on the encoding and decoding of speech by a tandem chain of digital computer operations. Rhythm as a factor in the speech intelligibility of deaf and normal-hearing subjects was investigated. The results of this study support the general hypothesis that rhythm and rhythmic intuition are important to the perception of speech.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Deaf; Speech processing systems; Speech, Intelligibility of

Publication Date

1975

Document Type

Thesis

Department, Program, or Center

Microelectronic Engineering (KGCOE)

Advisor

Rhody, Harvey

Advisor/Committee Member

Walker, Watson

Comments

Note: imported from RIT’s Digital Media Library running on DSpace to RIT Scholar Works. Physical copy available through RIT's The Wallace Library at: TK7882.S65 L36

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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