title: Fundamental Frequency Variation in Crying of Mandarin and German Neonates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined whether prenatal exposure to either a tonal or a nontonal maternal language affects fundamental frequency (fo) properties in neonatal crying.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a population prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 102 neonates within the first week of life served as the participants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Spontaneously uttered cries (N = 6480) by Chinese (tonal language group) and German neonates (nontonal group) were quantitatively analyzed. For each cry utterance, mean fo and four characteristic variation measures (fo range, fo fluctuation, pitch sigma, and pitch sigma fluctuation) were calculated, averaged for individual neonates, and compared between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A multiple analysis of variance highlighted a significant multivariate effect for language group: Wilks λ = .76, F(6, 95) = 4.96, P < .0001, ηp2= .24. Subsequent univariate analyses revealed significant group differences for fo variation measures, with values higher in the tonal language group. The mean fo did not differ between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data regarding fo variation in infant cries have been suggested as providing critical insight into the maturity of neurophysiological vocal control. Our findings, alongside with auditive perception studies, further underscore the assumption of an early shaping effect of maternal speech, particularly fo-based features, on cry features of newborns. Further studies are needed to reexamine this observation and to assess its potential diagnostic relevance.
authors.affiliation: Center for Pre-speech Development and Developmental Disorders, University Clinics, University of Wuerzburg, Germany. Electronic address: wermke_k@ukw.de.
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wermke
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yufang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.affiliation: Center for Pre-speech Development and Developmental Disorders, University Clinics, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Center for Pre-speech Development and Developmental Disorders, University Clinics, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dobnig
authors.affiliation: Center for Pre-speech Development and Developmental Disorders, University Clinics, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stephan
authors.affiliation: IT Center, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wermke
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The General Hospital of the PLA Rocket Force, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, The General Hospital of the PLA Rocket Force, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Hongyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Youyi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: German Center for Growth, Development and Health Encouragement during Childhood and Youth, Children's Hospital Berlin-Lichtenberg, Lindenhof, Germany; Institute for Experimental Paediatric Endocrinology, Charité-University Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hesse
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shu
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D002681:China; D003448:Crying; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D018730:Infant Behavior; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007802:Language; D007858:Learning; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010507:Periodicity; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013997:Time Factors; D014833:Voice Quality
keywords: crying; fundamental frequency; infant; melody variation; tonal language