Rachel-Tzofia Sinvani
Talpiot College, IsraelPresentation Title:
Gapping what with how - Toward a better understanding of the vocal aspects in child-directed speech
Abstract
Backgrounds: Child-directed speech (CDS) is a distinct communicative register used when interacting with children. Previous research has largely focused on the verbal aspects of CDS, often within controlled laboratory settings. However, studying its nonverbal aspects is limited. This study aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the vocal cues in CDS by investigating them in a naturalistic context. Specifically, this study explores whether and how (1) vocal cues differ among statements, questions, and appraisals in CDS, and (2) vocal cues of CDS differ from adult-directed speech (ADS), focusing on statements.
Methods: Thirty-seven mothers were audio-recorded while interacting with their 3-6-year-old children (21 girls, M age = 5.35, SD = 1.28) during a game at home (CDS). Additionally, they were recorded while describing the game to an adult (ADS). 105 utterances were manually extracted using the PRAAT software, classifying them into three speech act categories: interrogative (questions), declarative (statements), and expressive (appraisals). Acoustic analysis was conducted using MATLAB scripts.
Results: Studying the differences between speech acts over CDS revealed that appraisals were distinguished from questions and statements by significantly less energy in the low, medium, and high bands. In addition, comparing statements in both registers revealed that CDS were characterized by (a) a significantly lower mean CPP, (b) a significantly decreased speaking rate, and (c) a significantly decreased energy in all four frequency bands, compared to ADS.
Discussion: These novel findings support the value of using speech acts as a framework for analyzing CDS in natural contexts. Furthermore, they highlight the sensitivity of voice quality in measuring nonverbal aspects of communication. Future research should further explore the role of vocal adaptations in conveying different speech acts to children within CDS.
Results: Studying the differences between speech acts over CDS revealed that appraisals were distinguished from questions and statements by significantly less energy in the low, medium, and high bands. In addition, comparing statements in both registers revealed that CDS were characterized by (a) a significantly lower mean CPP, (b) a significantly decreased speaking rate, and (c) a significantly decreased energy in all four frequency bands, compared to ADS.
Discussion: These novel findings support the value of using speech acts as a framework for analyzing CDS in natural contexts. Furthermore, they highlight the sensitivity of voice quality in measuring nonverbal aspects of communication. Future research should further explore the role of vocal adaptations in conveying different speech acts to children within CDS.
Biography
Rachel-Tzofia Sinvani has completed her PHD at the age of 32 years from Haifa University, Israel. She is a speech and language therapist, specializing in voice pathologies and acoustics analysis. She is a senior lecturer at Talpiot Academic College of Education. She has over 18 publications that have been cited over 50 times, and her publication h index is 4.
Organization Location
1309 Coffeen Avenue, STE 1200, Sheridan, Wyoming 82801, USA
Mail us at
Drop us an email for Program enquiry
neuroscience@scientexconferences.com
General Queries
contact@scientexconferences.com
Registration query
finance@scientexconferences.com
psychiatry@scientexevents.com
Our Social Presence
Call us at
USA :(+1) 918 942 1748