Investigating the robustness of invariant features of fundamental frequency across speech styles

• Grant number: 14/21161-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2014
• End date: November 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Linguistics, Literature and Arts - Linguistics - Linguistic Theory and Analysis
• Principal Investigator: Pablo Arantes
• Grantee: Maria Érica do Nascimento Linhares
• Host Institution: Centro de Educação e Ciências Humanas (CECH). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

We propose to investigate a methodology used to determine the base value of the voice fundamental frequency. Base value is a statistical estimator of the preferred or typical F0 value used by a speaker. The methodology we are working with was created and tested in acted speech samples and one of our goals is to test if its application to non-acted speech yields similar results. In order to carry out our investigation we're going to analyze a speech corpus comprised of Brazilian Portuguese speech samples elicited in three speaking conditions: a semi-spontaneous interview, readings of phrases taken from the interview and isolated words taken from the phrases. Data provided by 15 speakers will be analyzed. That will allow us to estimate the speaker-related variability in the methodology's parameters. The results will enable us to evaluate how robust the methodology is and will contribute to applied areas such as forensic phonetics and speech technology, where knowledge of an individual’s typical fundamental frequency value is of crucial interest.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PABLO ARANTES; MARIA ÉRICA DO NASCIMENTO LINHARES. Efeito da língua, estilo de elocução e sexo do falante sobre medidas globais da frequência fundamental. Letras de Hoje, v. 52, n. 1, p. 26-39, 2017-03-00. (14/21161-5)