The Hybrid System of The Hybrid System of Voice Onset Time in Voice Onset Time in

French/English French/English BilingualsBilinguals

Claire GurskiClaire Gurski

University of Western OntarioUniversity of Western Ontario

London, ONLondon, ON

IntroductionIntroduction

Given the differences in the systems of Given the differences in the systems of Voice Onset Time between French Voice Onset Time between French

and English, does a speaker acquire and English, does a speaker acquire a native-like Voice Onset Time in a native-like Voice Onset Time in

their second language or does their their second language or does their first language have an influence?first language have an influence?

MethodologyMethodology

Eight bilingual speakers – 4 Native Eight bilingual speakers – 4 Native French and 4 Native EnglishFrench and 4 Native English

2 paragraphs – one beginning in 2 paragraphs – one beginning in English and ending in French and one English and ending in French and one beginning in French and ending in beginning in French and ending in EnglishEnglish

Each paragraph read 4 timesEach paragraph read 4 times Participants did not have the influence Participants did not have the influence

of other languages.of other languages.

ParticipantsParticipants

Participant Participant NumberNumber

GenderGender First LanguageFirst Language Second LanguageSecond Language

11 FemaleFemale FrenchFrench EnglishEnglish

22 FemaleFemale FrenchFrench EnglishEnglish

33 FemaleFemale EnglishEnglish FrenchFrench

44 FemaleFemale EnglishEnglish FrenchFrench

55 MaleMale FrenchFrench EnglishEnglish

66 MaleMale FrenchFrench EnglishEnglish

77 MaleMale EnglishEnglish FrenchFrench

88 MaleMale EnglishEnglish FrenchFrench

RecordingsRecordings

Controlled EnvironmentControlled Environment Sony MiniDisk WalkmanSony MiniDisk Walkman Sony ECM-MS907 Microphone Sony ECM-MS907 Microphone Sound BoothSound Booth Analysed using PraatAnalysed using Praat

BackgroundBackground

Voice Onset Time (VOT): Voice Onset Time (VOT): ‘The interval between ‘The interval between the release of a stop the release of a stop consonant occlusion consonant occlusion and the onset of the and the onset of the vocal-fold vibration’ and vocal-fold vibration’ and is measured ‘from is measured ‘from acoustic displays as the acoustic displays as the time between the time between the release burst and the release burst and the first quasi-periodicity in first quasi-periodicity in the acoustic signal’. the acoustic signal’. (Keating, 1984) (Keating, 1984)

Time (s)25.2286 25.3076

0

8000

Time (s)25.2286 25.3076

0

8000

Time (s)25.2286 25.3076

0

8000

Time (s)25.2286 25.3076

0

8000

Time (s)25.2286 25.35

0

8000

Time (s)25.2286 25.33

0

8000

Burst VOT Beginning of Vocal-fold

vibration

Voice Onset TimeVoice Onset Time

VOT – Language SpecificVOT – Language Specific The VOT of stop consonants [p b t d k g] The VOT of stop consonants [p b t d k g]

differs between languagesdiffers between languages ‘‘Plus/minus values of the voicing feature Plus/minus values of the voicing feature

will have different quantitative VOT values will have different quantitative VOT values in different languages.’ (Keating, 1984)in different languages.’ (Keating, 1984)

Eg. [p] in French has a VOT similar to a [b] Eg. [p] in French has a VOT similar to a [b] in English in English

LanguageLanguage Voiceless Voiceless PlosivesPlosives

Voiced PlosivesVoiced Plosives

EnglishEnglish Positive VOTPositive VOT Zero VOTZero VOT

FrenchFrench Zero VOTZero VOT Negative VOTNegative VOT

VOT and Language LearningVOT and Language Learning

Does a person who learns a second Does a person who learns a second language acquire a native-like VOT in language acquire a native-like VOT in their second language or does their their second language or does their native language have an influence? native language have an influence?

Does a person have a consistent VOT Does a person have a consistent VOT across languages regardless of across languages regardless of differences between the two differences between the two languages? languages?

AnalysisAnalysis

Only intervocalic stops were analysed to Only intervocalic stops were analysed to eliminate the differences due to aspirated eliminate the differences due to aspirated or unreleased stopsor unreleased stops

We found minimal variation between the We found minimal variation between the languages in each of the paragraphs ie. languages in each of the paragraphs ie. English of the first paragraph and English of English of the first paragraph and English of the second paragraphthe second paragraph

Mean and standard deviation calculated Mean and standard deviation calculated based on the language of use rather than based on the language of use rather than its position in relation to the other languageits position in relation to the other language

ParagraphsParagraphsParagraph AParagraph A

Il éIl éttait un fois une éait un fois une éttuuddiante qui s’aiante qui s’appppellait Aellait Appolline. Comme olline. Comme d’had’habbiittude, elle devait faire ses devoirs avant de reude, elle devait faire ses devoirs avant de reggarder la arder la télé. Cetélé. Ceppendant, c’éendant, c’éttait à l’éait à l’éppoque avant des ordinaoque avant des ordinatteurs et eurs et elle n’éelle n’éttait pas une éait pas une éttuuddiante exceptionnelle. Aiante exceptionnelle. Appolline avait olline avait acheachetté beaué beauccoup de paoup de pappier pour faire ses devoirs en ier pour faire ses devoirs en mamaththémaémattiques. Mais beauiques. Mais beauccoup de ce paoup de ce pappier éier éttait jeait jettée à la ée à la poupoubbelle. elle. All aAll addddition had to be done on an aition had to be done on an abbaaccus. Beus. Beccause ause she wanted a reshe wanted a reppuuttation as a good stuation as a good studdent, she couldn’t ent, she couldn’t sasabboottage herself by watching viage herself by watching viddeos instead of doing her eos instead of doing her rereggular reular reppeettitions of elaitions of elabborate aorate addddition questions. In order for ition questions. In order for AAppolline to aolline to attttain aain accccolades in math she had to loose her olades in math she had to loose her babaggggage aage abbout aout addddition.ition.

Translation of French sectionTranslation of French sectionOnce upon a time there was a student named Apolline. As Once upon a time there was a student named Apolline. As always, she had to do her homework before watching tv. always, she had to do her homework before watching tv. However, this was an era before computers and she was not a However, this was an era before computers and she was not a star in school. Apolline had to buy lots of paper in order to do star in school. Apolline had to buy lots of paper in order to do her homework in math. But the majority of this paper ended up her homework in math. But the majority of this paper ended up in the garbage can.in the garbage can.

ParagraphsParagraphsParagraph BParagraph B

StuStuddents of French want ways to aents of French want ways to attttain fluency in spoain fluency in spokken en language. Relanguage. Reppeettition is necessary to strengthen the ition is necessary to strengthen the elaelabborate facial muscles necessary to form the indiviorate facial muscles necessary to form the individdual ual sounds of the language. sounds of the language. Aussi, comme d’haAussi, comme d’habbiittude, les ude, les ééttuuddiants doivent beauiants doivent beauccoup éoup éccououtter la raer la raddio et reio et reggarder les arder les ééppisodes en français. Si on réisodes en français. Si on réppète des choses comme des ète des choses comme des iiddiomes, on apprendra plus de voiomes, on apprendra plus de voccaabbulaire. Il est aussi ulaire. Il est aussi nécessaire d’hanécessaire d’habbiitter dans un environnement français. Si les er dans un environnement français. Si les ééttuuddiants éiants éccoutent ces conseils, ils déoutent ces conseils, ils déppasseront leurs asseront leurs aattttentes.entes.

Translation of French sectionTranslation of French sectionAlso, as always, students have to listen to the radio a lot Also, as always, students have to listen to the radio a lot and watch programs in French. If one repeats things like and watch programs in French. If one repeats things like idioms, one will learn more vocabulary. It is also necessary idioms, one will learn more vocabulary. It is also necessary to live in a French environment. If students listen to this to live in a French environment. If students listen to this advice, they will exceed their expectations.advice, they will exceed their expectations.

Combined Participant VOTCombined Participant VOTDEV

gdbktp-0.08

-0.06

-0.04

-0.02

0.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

Consonnes

Te

mp

s (

se

c.)

français1 anglais1 français2 anglais2français3 anglais3 français4 anglais4français5 anglais5 français6 anglais6français7 anglais7 français8 anglais8

Participant VOT - AnalysisParticipant VOT - Analysis

Pattern of positive VOT for voiceless stops and Pattern of positive VOT for voiceless stops and negative VOT for voiced stops eg. Participant 1negative VOT for voiced stops eg. Participant 1

Participant 3 was the only one to diverge from Participant 3 was the only one to diverge from this pattern with a positive VOT for almost all this pattern with a positive VOT for almost all occurrencesoccurrences

DEV de participant 1

p t k b d g-0.08

-0.06

-0.04

-0.02

0.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

Consonnes

Tem

ps

(sec

.)

français

anglais DEV de participant 3

p t k b d g-0.08

-0.06

-0.04

-0.02

0.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

Consonnes

Tem

ps

(sec

.)

français

anglais

Hybrid SystemHybrid System The voiced plosives of Participant 3 lie outside the The voiced plosives of Participant 3 lie outside the

range for the other 7 participantsrange for the other 7 participants For 7 out of 8 of the speakers, their VOT does not For 7 out of 8 of the speakers, their VOT does not

pattern with either the French or the English pattern with either the French or the English systemssystems

Hybrid system createdHybrid system created Participants reacted similarly regardless of native Participants reacted similarly regardless of native

languagelanguage

Voiceless PlosivesVoiceless Plosives Voiced PlosivesVoiced Plosives

Hybrid Hybrid SystemSystem

Positive VOTPositive VOT Negative VOTNegative VOT

Areas of Further ResearchAreas of Further Research Age of language learningAge of language learning Level of fluencyLevel of fluency Multilingual or bilingual in other languagesMultilingual or bilingual in other languages

Speaker IdentificationSpeaker Identification VOT mean and deviation may be useful for VOT mean and deviation may be useful for

identification purposes?identification purposes? Effects of nervousnessEffects of nervousness Reading vs. Spontaneous speechReading vs. Spontaneous speech Effects of the telephoneEffects of the telephone Canadian French affricationCanadian French affrication Larger number of participants with similar Larger number of participants with similar

voice qualitiesvoice qualities

ConclusionsConclusions VOT does not vary considerably between VOT does not vary considerably between

languages or between participantslanguages or between participants Use of Hybrid system regardless of native Use of Hybrid system regardless of native

languagelanguage

LanguageLanguage Voiceless Voiceless plosivesplosives

Voices plosivesVoices plosives

EnglishEnglish Positive VOTPositive VOT Zero VOTZero VOT

FrenchFrench Zero VOTZero VOT Negative VOTNegative VOT

HybridHybrid Positive VOTPositive VOT Negative VOTNegative VOT

ConclusionsConclusions

français

voisées

non voisées

anglais

voisées

non voisées

DEV positif

DEV zéro

DEV négatif

bilingues

Questions or Questions or comments are comments are

welcomedwelcomed