Open AccessFREQUENCY CHARACTERISTICS OF BENGALI AND TAMIL VOWELS IN VARYING SPEAKING RATE
Author(s) -
Dr.Kala Samayan,
C Elanthendral,
Dr.Anamika Hui
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
epra international journal of multidisciplinary research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2455-3662
DOI - 10.36713/epra8112
Subject(s) - bengali , tamil , formant , vowel , linguistics , articulation (sociology) , diphthong , speech recognition , mathematics , acoustics , computer science , physics , philosophy , politics , political science , law
Speech has its unique importance as the primary means by which language is expressed in all human cultures. It is a fluid phenomenon, characterized by rapid changes in articulation and its acoustic product. Vowels can differ in acoustic analysis in various aspects because the speech code varies with language, dialect, age and sex and specific physiological constraints of the speaker. Keeping in view that rate brings changes in speech and vowels being more acoustically approachable, it is assumed that there would be changes in vowel acoustics with change in rate of speech. The present study is aimed at understanding the influence of rate of speech on formant frequency of vowel acoustics in two different languages - Bengali (Indo-Aryan) and Tamil (Dravidian). The subjects for the study were grouped based on languages - Group I consisted of 10 males with native language as Bengali, Group II consisted of 10 males with native language as Tamil in the age range of 18 to 28 years. The results shows that the formant frequency of three similar vowels of /a/, /i/ and /u/ in both languages and non-similar/different vowel of /ɔ/ in Bengali and /Ʌ/ in Tamil indicates significant difference in varying speaking rate. The differences in vowel acoustics in varying speaking rate in Tamil and Bengali showed higher duration to read the passage in normal than fast rate.KEYWORDS: Formant frequency, vowel acoustics, Tamil and Bengali