Acoustic parameters of emphasis in Libyan Arabic
This study investigates the acoustic implementation of the emphatic consonants in Libyan Arabic (LA) as compared to their non-emphatic counterparts. One aim is to explore how the acoustic patterns in LA compare with those found in other Arabic dialects, especially since this is the first study of its kind in LA. Another aim is to relate these acoustic patterns to the articulation of the emphatics. The acoustic cues that were investigated included the first three formant frequencies in the vowels following plain and emphatic consonants, locus equations, and various vocalic and consonantal duration measurements that have shown to be relevant for the contrast in other varieties of Arabic. Twenty native speakers of LA were recruited for this study and produced randomised target monosyllabic words with initial plain /t d s/ and emphatic /tË dË sË/ in carrier sentences. These consonants were followed by the LA vowels /i: e: I ĂŠ:É 0: u: Ê/. In terms of formant frequency results, emphasis led to an increase in FI and F3 and a decrease in F2; this effect was consistent across all vocalic contexts apart from an F3 decrease for /i:/. The effect of emphasis on formant frequency patterns was more pronounced at the
Kriba, Hussin Abdulrazaq
Acoustic parameters of emphasis in Libyan Arabic. This study investigates the acoustic implementation of the emphatic consonants in Libyan Arabic (LA) as compared to their non-emphatic counterparts. One aim is to explore how the acoustic patterns in LA compare with those found in other Arabic dialects, especially since this is the first study of its kind in LA. Another aim is to relate these acoustic patterns to the articulation of the emphatics. The acoustic cues that were investigated included the first three formant frequencies in the vowels following plain and emphatic consonants, locus equations, and various vocalic and consonantal duration measurements that have shown to be relevant for the contrast in other varieties of Arabic. Twenty native speakers of LA were recruited for this study and produced randomised target monosyllabic words with initial plain /t d s/ and emphatic /tË dË sË/ in carrier sentences. These consonants were followed by the LA vowels /i: e: I ĂŠ:É 0: u: Ê/. In terms of formant frequency results, emphasis led to an increase in FI and F3 and a decrease in F2; this effect was consistent across all vocalic contexts apart from an F3 decrease for /i:/. The effect of emphasis on formant frequency patterns was more pronounced at the
acoustic parameter emphasis libyan arabic study_investigate acoustic implementation emphatic consonant libyan arabic compare non emphatic counterpart aim_explore acoustic pattern_compare find arabic_dialect especially_since first study kind another aim relate acoustic pattern articulation acoustic_cue investigate include first_three formant frequency vowel follow plain emphatic consonant locus equation various vocalic consonantal duration measurement show relevant contrast variety arabic twenty native_speaker recruit study produce target monosyllabic word_initial plain emphatic carrier sentence consonant follow vowel term formant frequency emphasis lead_increase decrease effect consistent across vocalic context apart decrease effect emphasis formant frequency_pattern pronounce