Sequential Temporal Patterns and Cognitive Processes in Speech

Further evidence was found confirming that the successive speech and silence durations in spontaneous speech can have a regular structure, periods of considerable hesitancy alternating with periods of fluency in a rhythmic fashion. This structure, which it is suggested is due to a cognitive rhythm, although not evident in reading, was found however not to be specific to rational spontaneous speech, as was concluded by Henderson et al. The only necessary though not sufficient condition for the appearance of temporal rhythm was that at least 30% of utterance time be pausing time. Readings and translations as well as spontaneous speech were capable of exhibiting a rhythmic structure when fulfilling this condition. The relative pausing time in the periods of high fluency seemed an additional factor in the occurrence of this rhythm. The implications of these results are discussed.