Thomson Multitaper Power Spectral Density Estimate for the rounded uvular fricative. The blue line represents the average PSD and the black lines represent m1 and m2, respectively.
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Projects
Language Documentation and Revitalization with Sonya Bird (University of Victoria, Canada). Our aim with this project is to examine acquisition trajectories for L2 learners of Hul’q’umi’num’. We are comparing spectral moments from fricatives and affricates for L2 learners at different stages of acquisition and comparing them to L1 speakers. Our goal is to understand acquisition trajectories and how internalized L2 structure develops with experience. We are also examining the complex and rare posterior fricative system (3-way velar/uvular fricative) in Hul’q’umi’num’. Our goal is to understand how this system is maintained through spectral cues. |
The phonetics and phonology of sibilant fricatives with Marzena Żygis (Zentrum für Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft, Germany) and Xuan Guan (University of Oregon, USA).
We are examining the acoustic characteristics of sibilants in the cross-linguistic context to determine how contrast is maintain between different places of articulation and how that factors in to the different phonological behaviours of sibilant fricatives across languages. Currently we are working on a cross-linguistic project sibilants in Hindi, English, Malayalam, and Mandarin.
We are also working on a the sibilant inventory of Queyu, a Sino-Tibetan language. Queyu has a rich sibilant inventory, boasting a three-way place contrast and aspirated variants of the vioceless series of fricatives.
We are examining the acoustic characteristics of sibilants in the cross-linguistic context to determine how contrast is maintain between different places of articulation and how that factors in to the different phonological behaviours of sibilant fricatives across languages. Currently we are working on a cross-linguistic project sibilants in Hindi, English, Malayalam, and Mandarin.
We are also working on a the sibilant inventory of Queyu, a Sino-Tibetan language. Queyu has a rich sibilant inventory, boasting a three-way place contrast and aspirated variants of the vioceless series of fricatives.
Maintaining nasal contrasts in Queyu with Xuan Guan (University of Oregon, USA).
Queyu maintains a rare contrast between voiced and voiceless nasal segments. We are looking at the acoustic and perceptual factors that contribute not only to their maintenance but to the typological rarity of this contrast.
Implications for Stress in Tsilhqut’in with Alessandro Jaker (University of Toronto, Canada).
Tsilhqut’in is a tonal language with contrastive vowel length. However, previous work on related languages suggests
there may also be a stress contrast. This research explores the possibility that there is a language which has contrastive tones and contrastive stress patterns.
Queyu maintains a rare contrast between voiced and voiceless nasal segments. We are looking at the acoustic and perceptual factors that contribute not only to their maintenance but to the typological rarity of this contrast.
Implications for Stress in Tsilhqut’in with Alessandro Jaker (University of Toronto, Canada).
Tsilhqut’in is a tonal language with contrastive vowel length. However, previous work on related languages suggests
there may also be a stress contrast. This research explores the possibility that there is a language which has contrastive tones and contrastive stress patterns.
Mean F2 and F3 (ERB) of participant identification of /w, ɹ, l, j/ for both speakers of Mandarin, Hindi, and English.
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The production and perception of liquids with Jessamyn Schertz (University of Toronto Mississauga, Canada) and M. Irfana (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College, India).
We are examining the link between the acoustic-perceptual characteristics of liquids in a cross-linguistic context. The aim of the study is to understand what listeners are perceiving when they hear liquids. The larger aim is to understand the acoustic-perceptual cues and how those shape phonological inventories. |