Vocal Loading in Speaking a Foreign Language.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated whether speaking a foreign language affects the subjective notions of vocal fatigue, and whether acoustic measurements reveal a higher vocal loading.


METHODS
The speech samples of 20 native Finnish-speaking and 23 native English-speaking subjects were recorded in Finnish and in English. From the speech samples, fundamental frequency, equivalent sound level, total duration of voiced speech, speech rate, alpha ratio and L1-L0 level difference were analyzed. Vocal doses were calculated.


RESULTS
According to subjective notions, the voice gets tired more quickly when speaking a foreign language. The mean fundamental frequency increased but the speech rate and total duration of voiced speech decreased significantly when speaking a foreign language. Thus, the vocal doses decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
The subjective sensations of increased vocal fatigue may be due to increased mental stress rather than to higher vocal loading. However, a trend that speaking a foreign language may involve more loading was found in L1-L0 level difference and in the doses normalized to time dose. Longer speech samples should be studied. Voice quality-based indicators of vocal loading are worth testing in addition to the measures based on the amount of voicing in speech.
Speech and Voice Research Laboratory, School of Education, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
Kati
K
Järvinen
Anne-Maria
AM
Laukkanen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019303:Multilingualism; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D014833:Voice Quality; D055815:Young Adult