The Impact of Language on Voice: An LTAS Study.
OBJECTIVE
The present study investigates possible differences in sound characteristics associated with Farsi and Qashqai produced by Farsi-Qashqai bilinguals.


METHODS
This is a descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Thirty-two Farsi-Qashqai bilinguals (16 men and 16 women) participated in the study. Mean spectral energy (MSE) and spectral tilt (ST) obtained from long-term average speech spectra were extracted from continuous speech samples of Farsi-Qashqai bilingual speakers. MSE and ST were calculated using Praat and then compared between Farsi and Turkish.


RESULTS
Results showed that bilingual speakers had higher MSE and lower ST in Farsi than in Turkish.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings show that even with the same phonatory apparatus, spoken language affects the speaker's voice quality.
Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Electronic address: samad.afshari@yahoo.com.
Samad Afshari
SA
Bahmanbiglu
Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Fariba
F
Mojiri
Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Fateme
F
Abnavi
D000162:Acoustics; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D019303:Multilingualism; D015588:Observer Variation; D010699:Phonation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D012984:Software; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D014833:Voice Quality
Bilingual; Farsi; Long-term average spectra; Qashqai; Voice quality