• Korean Linguistics
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• v.63
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• pp.103-132
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• 2014

This study compares various speech rates of Korean learners with those of native Korean. Speech data were collected from 34 native Koreans and 33 Korean learners (19 Chinese and 14 Japanese). Each participant recorded a 9 syllabled Korean sentence at three different speech rate types. A total of 603 speech samples were analyzed by speech rate types (normal, slow, and fast), native languages (Korean, Chinese, Japanese), and learners' proficiency levels (beginner, intermediate, and advanced). We found that learners' L1 background plays a role in categorizing different speech rates in the L2 (Korean), and also that the leaners' proficiency correlates with the increase of speaking rate regardless of speech rate categories. More importantly, faster speech rate values found in the advanced level of learners do not necessarily match to the native speakers' speech rate categories. This means that learning speech rate categories can be more complex than we think of proficiency or fluency. That is, speech rate categories may not be acquired automatically during the course of second language learning, and implicit or explicit exposures to various rate types are necessary for second language learners to acquire a high level of communicative skills including speech rate variation. This paper discusses several pedagogical implications in terms of teaching pronunciation to second language learners.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.193-200
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• 2004

This was a preliminary study for standardizing speech rate and fluency of normal adult Korean speakers and comparing speech rate and fluency of normal speakers with those of professional speakers. The purposes of this study were to investigate (a) the speech rates (the overall speech rate and the articulation rate) and the disfluency characteristics of normnal adult speakers and (b) the speech rates (the overall speech rate and the articulation rate) and the disfluency characteristics between normal adult speakers and professional speakers. The results were as follows: The most frequent disfluency type was 'interjection' in story-telling, 'revision' in text reading and announcing of professional speakers. The professional speakers had the fastest speech rates (overall speech rate and articulation rate) among the 3 groups.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.19-27
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• 2012

When two speakers read a text together, the produced speech has been shown to reduce a high degree of variability (e.g., pause duration and placement, and speech rate). This paper provides a quantitative analysis of speech rate variation exhibited in synchronous speech by examining the global and local patterns in two dialects of Mandarin Chinese (Taiwan and Shanghai). We analyzed the speech data in terms of mean speech rate and the reference of "Just Noticeable difference (JND)" within a subject and across subjects. Our findings show that speakers show lower and less variable speech rates when they read a text synchronously than when they read alone. This global pattern is observed consistently across speakers and dialects maintaining the unique local variation patterns of speech rate for each dialect. We conclude that paired speakers lower their speech rates and decrease the variability in order to ensure the synchrony of their speech.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.143-149
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to investigate the speech rate of an esophageal speech group that is capable of vocalization after surgery. The subjects in this experiment were 10 male esophageal speakers and 10 male laryngeal speakers. Each group read a reading passage that was recorded by a DAT recorder (Rolando, EDIROL R-09). These records were analyzed by using CSL (Computerized Speech Lab, model 4150). The results were as follows: (1) the overall speech rate of esophageal speech was 2.50 SPS (syllable per second) while the overall speech rate of laryngeal speech was 4.23 SPS. (2) The articulatory rate of esophageal speech was 3.14 SPS (syllable per second) while the articulatory rate of laryngeal speech was 4.75 SPS. Speech rates as well as articulatory rates of esophageal speech were significantly lower than laryngeal speech. These differences between the two groups may be due to reduced efficiency of airflows across the pharyngeal-esophageal segment for esophageal speakers when compared to airflow through the glottis for laryngeal speakers. These results would provide a guideline in speech rates for esophageal speakers in clinical settings.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.111-118
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• 2017

This study compares speech rate, articulatory rate, and pause between the children with mild and moderate Speech Sound Disorder (SSD) who performed Sentence Repetition Tasks and the Typically Developing children (TD) of the same chronological age. The results showed that three groups are categorized in terms of speaking rate and articulatory rate. There is no difference between the two groups with SSD children, namely between the mild and moderate groups. However, there is a significant difference in their rate of speech and the articulatory rate between the two groups, such that the two groups with SSD are significantly slower than the TD group. The results also showed that there are no significant difference in the length and frequency of pause between the moderate group and the mild group. However, there is a substantial difference between them and the TD group. This study, provided the basic data for evaluating the speech rate of the children and implies that there are limitations in speech rate among the children with SSD.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2017

The current study examined speech rate and its variance in spontaneous Seoul Korean speech. The current study focused on factors affecting the variance of speech rate such as utterance length, individual speakers, and gender. The results revealed that, first, utterance length has a significant influence on speech rate. Longer utterances were spoken at a faster rate. Second, regarding the effect of utterance length, individual speakers differed significantly in their speaking rate. The variation between speakers and within speakers tended to increase as utterance length increases. Third, there were speakers' gender differences, indicating that males produced considerably faster speaking rate than females. Additionally, the current study implied that non-linguistic factors in spontaneous speech can affect the variance of speakers' speaking rate.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2015

This study examined whether speech acceptability was changed under various conditions of prosodic manipulations. Both speech rate and voice loudness reportedly are associated with acceptability and intelligibility. Speech samples by twelve speakers with mild dysarthria were recorded. Speech rate and loudness changes were made by digitally manipulating habitual sentences. 3 different loudness levels (70, 75, & 80dB) and 4 different speech rates (normal, 20% rapidly, 20% slowly, & 40% slowly) were presented to 12 SLPs (speech language pathologists). SLPs evaluated sentence acceptability by 7-point Likert scale. Repeated ANOVA were conducted to determine if the prosodic type of resynthesized cue resulted in a significant change in speech acceptability. A faster speech rate (20% rapidly) rather than habitual and slower rates (20%, 40% slowly) resulted in significant improvement in acceptability ratings (p <.001). An increased vocal loudness (up to 80dB) resulted in significant improvement in acceptability ratings (p <.05). Speech rate and loudness changes in the prosodic properties of speech may contribute to improved acceptability.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.67-74
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• 2017

An increase in speech intelligibility has been found in Clear Speech compared to conversational speech. Clear Speech is defined by decreased articulation rates and increased frequency and length of pauses. The objective of the present study was to investigate improvement in immediate speech intelligibility in 10 patients with Parkinson's disease (age range: 46 to 75 years) using Clear Speech. This experiment has been performed using the Phonatory Aerodynamic System 6600 after the participants read the first sentence of a Sanchaek passage and the "List for Adults 1" in the Sentence Recognition Test (SRT) using casual speech and Clear Speech. Acoustic and aerodynamic parameters that affect speech intelligibility were measured, including mean F0, F0 range, intensity, speaking rate, mean airflow rate, and respiratory rate. In the Sanchaek passage, use of Clear Speech resulted in significant differences in mean F0, F0 range, speaking rate, and respiratory rate, compared with the use of casual speech. In the SRT list, significant differences were seen in mean F0, F0 range, and speaking rate. Based on these findings, it is claimed that speech intelligibility can be affected by adjusting breathing and tone in Clear Speech. Future studies should identify the benefits of Clear Speech through auditory-perceptual studies and evaluate programs that use Clear Speech to increase intelligibility.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.73-77
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences of the speech rate according to the area in the perceptual and acoustic analysis. This study examines regional variation in overall speech rate and articulation rate across speaking situations (picture description, free conversation and story retelling) with 14 normal adult (7 in Gyeongnam and 7 in Honam area). The result of an experimental investigation shows that the perceptual speech rate differs significantly between two regional varieties of Koreans with a picture description examined here. A group of Honam speakers spoke significantly faster than a group of Gyeongnam speakers. However, the result of the acoustic analysis shows that the speech rate of the two groups did not differ. And there were significant regional differences in the overall speech rate and articulation rate on the other two speaking situation, free conversation and story retelling. It suggest that we have to study perceptual evaluation with regard to the free conversation and story retelling in future research, and based on the results of this study, a variety of researches on the speech rate will be needed on the various conditions, including various area and SLPs who have wider background and experiences. It is necessary for SLPs to train and experience more to assess patients properly and reliably.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.27-39
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• 2017

This paper deals with how speech rate in Korean is affected by the sociolinguistic factors such as region, gender and generation. Speech rate was quantified as articulation rate (excluding physical pauses) and speaking rate (including physical pauses), both expressed as the number of syllables per second (sps). Other acoustic measures such as pause frequency and duration were also examined. Four hundred twelve subjects were chosen from Korean Standard Speech Database considering their age, gender and region. The result shows that generation has a significant effect on both speaking rate and articulation rate. Younger speakers produce their speech with significantly faster speaking rate and articulation rate than older speakers. Mean duration of total pause interval and the total number of pause of older speakers are also significantly different to those of younger speakers. Gender has a significant effect only on articulation rate, which means male speakers' speech rate is characterized by faster articulation rate, longer and more frequent pauses. Finally, region has no effect both on speaking and articulation rates.