Perception of height differences in vowels
Peter F. Assmann, Terrance M. Nearey · The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America · 1983
Vowels contrasting in the phonetic feature of height or openness are differentiated primarily by changes in the frequency of the first formant. Several hypotheses have been proposed to account for the perception of these differences. Mushnikov and Chistovich [Sov. Phys. Acoust. 19, 250–254 (1973)] argue that the frequency of the most prominent harmonic in the F1 region determines the height of a vowel. Carlson et al. [in Auditory Analysis and Perception of Speech, edited by G. Fant and M. A. A. Tatham (Academic, London, (1974)] favor an amplitude-weighted average (center of gravity) of the two most prominent harmonics. Results of matching experiments will be reported in which listeners select the best vowel match along an F1 continuum corresponding to test stimuli with modified amplitude spectra. The effects of F0, number, and frequency of harmonics are investigated. Predicted distances according to several models will be compared with listener's matches. Spectral distance models based on the excitation pattern or loudness density will also be considered. Results are generally consistent with a local center of gravity hypothesis. [Work supported by SSHRC.]