Interaction between tone and intonation in Thai after unilateral brain damage

Author(s): Ponglorpisit, S., Potisuk, S., Khunadorn, F., Boongird, P., Dechongkit, S.

Journal/Book: Brain Lang. 1997; 58: 525 B St, Ste 1900, San Diego, CA 92101-4495. Academic Press Inc Jnl-Comp Subscriptions. 174-196.

Abstract: Intonational characteristics of Thai sentences were used to evaluate fundamental frequency (F-0) control in brain-damaged patients with unilateral left anti right hemisphere lesions. Subjects (n = 41) included 9 young and 10 old normal adults, 12 right hemisphere patients, and 10 left hemisphere aphasic patients (7 fluent and 3 nonfluent). Sentences were comprised of six words, three of which were keywords occurring in sentence-initial, -medial, and -final positions, All 125 possible sequences of three of the five Thai tones (midi low, falling, high, rising) were superimposed on monosyllabic keywords. Utterances were produced at a conversational speaking rate. Average F-0 of keywords was analyzed as a function of sentence position, tone, and group. For both normal and brain-damaged speakers, results indicated that tones in sentence-final position were significantly lower in F-0 than in either sentence-initial or -medial position; falling and high tones were significantly higher in F-0 than mid, low. And rising tones. Findings are discussed in relation to issues pertaining to hemispheric specialization and the nature of F-0 deficits in nonfluent and fluent aphasic patients.

Note: Article Gandour J, Purdue Univ, Dept Audiol & Speech Sci, W Lafayette,IN 47907 USA

Keyword(s): RIGHT-HEMISPHERE; FUNDAMENTAL-FREQUENCY; SPEECH PROSODY; BROCAS APHASIA; PERCEPTION

Zurück | Weiter