MEASURING THE HUMAN VOICE ANALYSING PITCH TIMING LOUDNESS AND VOICE QUALITY IN MOTHER/INFANT COMMUNICATION
Stephen N. Malloch, DB SHARP, A MURRAY CAMPBELL, D. Murray Campbell, Colwyn Trevarthen · 2023
A mother and her young baby are playfully interacting.We hear the mother speak In shon bursts.talking In a sing-song manner.and the baby occasionally 'answers back'.It appears clear that communication ls taking place.but communication based in what ?The baby cannot understand the meaning of the words the mother Is using.and the baby answers In often glldlng type sounds The communication must be 'held' by means other than lexical meaning, grammar and syntax.By combining the disciplines of psychology.psychoacoustics and music.we attempt to shed light on what takes place when a mother and her Infant vocallse together In this manifestly communicative way. BACKGROUNDWhen mothers speak to Infants.their voicing appears to have strong metrical and melodic characterialos.and this song-like activity seems to be attended to and responded to with much pleaarre by infams Indeed.Infants often stimulate an affectionate adult.male or female.to extended poetic or musical speech.as wall as other types of music-like sound making.This distinctive style of adult speech Is called 'motharese.'parentese.or 'inlant directed speech' -It varies with the age and state.and motives and emotions of the infant partner.