Exploration of Speech Rhythm in Deori L1 and L2

Krisangi Saikia, Shakuntala Mahanta

Abstract: This paper's primary aim is to explore and analyze the rhythmic characteristics in read speech for Deori (L1), a Tibeto-Burman language, and Assamese (L2), an Indo-Aryan language with a specific focus on elements like syllable timing and duration. In our examination of speech rhythm, we utilized various rhythm metrics, including %V, nPVI, rPVI, varco-V, varco-C, ∆V, and ∆C, to evaluate read speech patterns in both languages. We also explored the variability in acoustically measurable speech rhythm and rate of articulation among different speakers. The results reveal that Deori (L1) and Assamese (L2) align closely with syllable-timed languages (viz. Spanish and French) in terms of nPVI-V and rPVI-C, varcoV and %V and nPVIV and %V. However, when we consider %V and ∆C Assamese (L2) cluster with Japanese which is a moratimed language and Deori (L1) tend to shift towards syllable-timed languages. This paper offers a significant contribution to our understanding of the convoluted relationship between the rhythmic patterns of a speaker's native language (L1) and a second language (L2). These findings underscore the importance of considering variables such as speech rate and prosodic structure when investigating rhythmic disparities in bilingual speech.

External IDs:dblp:conf/ococosda/SaikiaM23