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FormantPro as a Tool for Speech Analysis and Segmentation / FormantPro como uma ferramenta para a análise e segmentação da fala
Abstract
Abstract: This paper introduces FormantPro, a Praat-based tool for large-scale, systematic analysis of formant movements, especially for experimental data. The program generates a rich set of output metrics, including continuous contours like time-normalized formant trajectories and formant velocity profiles suitable for direct graphical comparisons, and discrete measurements suitable for statistical analysis. It also allows users to generate mean trajectories and discrete measurements averaged across repetitions and speakers. As an illustration of its usage, data from a preliminary study of syllable segmentation in Mandarin were presented. The alignment of continuous formant trajectories enabled by FormantPro provides evidence that the temporal scopes of consonants and vowels are very different from those based on conventional views, and that acoustic and articulatory boundaries of segments are fundamentally similar.
Keywords: FormantPro; formant trajectories; syllable segmentation.
Resumo: Este artigo apresenta o FormantPro, uma ferramenta que roda no Praat, dedicada à análise sistemática e em larga escala dos movimentos de formantes, especialmente para dados de natureza experimental. O programa gera um rico conjunto de métricas de saída, incluindo contornos contínuos, como as trajetórias de formantes normalizadas temporalmente e perfis de velocidade de formantes adequados para comparações gráficas diretas, bem como medidas discretas adequadas para a análise estatística. O programa também permite aos usuários gerar médias de trajetórias e medidas discretas calculadas a partir das médias de repetições e de falantes. Como ilustração da sua usabilidade, dados preliminares de um estudo sobre segmentação silábica em mandarim foram apresentados. O alinhamento de trajetórias contínuas de formantes geradas pelo FormantPro oferecem evidência de que os escopos temporais de consoantes e vogais são muito diferentes daqueles baseados em visões convencionais, e de que as fronteiras acústicas e articulatórias dos segmentos são fundamentalmente semelhantes.
Palavras-chave: FormantPro; trajetórias dos formantes; segmentação silábica
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17851/2237-2083.26.4.1435-1454
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