U.S.-Sweden Cooperative Science: Acoustic Models of Consonant Production

这个为期两年的语言学奖将支持麻省理工学院(MIT)的肯尼斯·N·史蒂文斯博士和瑞典斯德哥尔摩皇家理工学院(R.I.T)的冈纳尔·范特博士之间的合作研究。拟议项目的目标是促进对语音，特别是辅音产生的声学过程的科学理解。麻省理工学院和R.I.T的演讲小组在声学和辅音感知的理论研究方面进行了长期的合作。最近，R.I.T小组一直在积极开发基于计算机的辅音产生的声道模型；而MIT小组则专注于辅音的声学分析和合成，以及声学研究在语音学和音系学理论中的应用。拟议中的合作将把美国和瑞典语音组织最近在辅音产生方面存在问题的领域的工作联系起来。它们包括：(1)在元音-辅音和辅音-元音边界在喉部产生的声音；(2)在发出停辅音时产生声音的机制；(3)在鼻辅音内爆和释放时的声学变化。史蒂文斯博士建议在麻省理工学院使用基于计算机的模型来广泛测试麻省理工学院的理论，并理解该模型，以便在麻省理工学院的计算机上实施，用于未来的研究工作。该领域将受益于两个小组的互补专业知识，并促进我们对辅音制作和工艺的理解。这项研究在机器(电子)语音合成和识别的发展中具有重要的应用价值。它还与沟通障碍的诊断和治疗以及第二语言学习有关。

This two-year award in linguistics will support collaborative research between Dr. Kenneth N. Stevens of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T) and Dr. Gunnar Fant of the Royal Institute of Technology (R.I.T) in Stockholm, Sweden. The objective of the proposed project is to advance scientific understanding of the acoustic processes of speech sounds, specifically consonant production. The M.I.T and R.I.T speech groups have had a long-standing collaboration in theoretical studies of acoustics and perception of consonants. Recently, the R.I.T group has been active in the development of computer-based vocal tract-models of consonant production; whereas, the MIT group has focused on acoustic analysis and synthesis of consonants and the application of acoustic studies to theories of phonetics and phonology. The proposed collaboration will link the recent work of American and Swedish speech groups in problematic areas in consonant production. These include: (1) sound generation at the larynx at vowel- consonant and consonant-vowel boundaries, (2) mechanisms of sound production at the release of stop consonants; and (3) acoustic changes at the implosion and release of nasal consonants. Dr. Stevens proposes to use the computer-based model at R.I.T to extensively test the M.I.T theories and to understand the model so it can be implemented on computers at M.I.T. for future research work. The field will benefit from the complementary expertise of both groups and advance our understanding of consonant production and processes. This research has important applications in the development of machine-made (electronic) speech synthesis and recognition. It also has relevance for the diagnosis and treatment of communication disorders and in second language learning.