Laryngeal aerodynamic and acoustic characteristics of African American voice production were examined from vowel samples produced by ten adult female and ten adult male speakers. The data were compared with that for a control group consisting of ten adult female and ten adult male White speakers, matched for age, height, and weight. All measures were analyzed using Cspeech 4.0. Aerodynamic measurements, extracted from a glottal airflow waveform, included maximum flow declination rate, alternating glottal airflow, minimum glottal airflow, and airflow open quotient. Acoustic measures included fundamental frequency and sound pressure level. No significant mean differences between the African American and White speakers were found, except for maximum-flow declination rate. The White speakers produced significantly higher declination rates than the African American speakers. The factor of sex for the African American speakers was statistically significant for the measures of maximum-flow declination rate, alternating glottal airflow, open quotient, and fundamental frequency, consistent with the functioning of the White speakers. The results suggest that during vowel production, where the vocal tract is in a fairly static position, acoustic and aerodynamic characteristics for African American and White Speakers are comparable.
The ability to discern the use of a nonstandard dialect is often enough information to also determine the speaker’s ethnicity, and speakers may consequently suffer discrimination based on their speech. This article, detailing four experiments, shows that housing discrimination based solely on telephone conversations occurs, dialect identification is possible using the word hello, and phonetic correlates of dialect can be discovered. In one experiment, a series of telephone surveys was conducted; housing was requested from the same landlord during a short time period using standard and nonstandard dialects. The results demonstrate that landlords discriminate against prospective tenants on the basis of the sound of their voice during telephone conversations. Another experiment was conducted with untrained participants to confirm this ability; listeners identified the dialects significantly better than chance. Phonetic analysis reveals that phonetic variables potentially distinguish the dialects.
Vocal pitch depends on length of vocal chords, which is proportional to body height.
I see, so you would be able to tell the difference between a tall, white, middle class, Jewish, carpenter (whose father was also a carpenter) from the Bronx and a short, black, middle class, Jewish, carpenter (whose father was also a carpenter) from the Bronx well enough to "just know" which of them was "black" and which was "white", would you?
OTHER wrote:
Speech samples from groups of White, African American, and Hispanic kindergarten-age children were compared on measures of mean speaking fundamental frequency (F0), maximum and minimum speaking F0, pitch sigma, and speaking range (in semitones). Results indicate that there are significant differences between racial groups on measures of mean speaking F0 and speaking range.
Very interesting, especially when contrasted with
Quote:
The majority of multicultural group studies on vocal characteristics have compared F0 characteristics in White American, African American, and in a few instances, Hispanic Americans, and found no significant differences (Adrianopoulos, Darrow, & Chen, 2001; Awan & Mueller, 1996; Hollien & Malcik, 1962; Hudson & Holbrook, 1981, 1982; Mayo & Grant, 1995; Morris, 1997; Sapienza, 1997; Walton & Orlikoff, 1994; Wheat & Hudson, 1988, Xue & Fucci, 2000; Xue & Mueller, 1996).
You might want to note that the testing that found that there was a difference in FO between Spanish speaking people and English speaking people had the Spanish speaking people speaking Spanish and the English speaking people speaking English.
From this we can draw the startling conclusion that Spanish doesn't sound like English.
OTHER wrote:
With so many anatomical factors, how could genetics not play a role?
An interesting question, just one that I never raised.
Would you like to show how the two gene pairs (and their four to six variants for each one) that govern skin colouration have anything whatsoever to do with the structure of a human's vocal apparatus? Would you like to show how the physical structure of a human's vocal apparatus has anything to do with a person's "race"? Would you like to show how a person's "race" irrevocably determines the language that a person?
OTHER wrote:
A stratified random sample of 20 males and 20 females
Did you happen to notice the sample size?
There were three language groups studied and there were only four pairs. That would make it 1.3 pairs per language group.
Would you like to take a guess at how statistically valid a sample of 1.3 is?
Last edited by XxRaVeNxX on Tue 08 Apr 2008 16:16; edited 1 time in total
Vocal pitch depends on length of vocal chords, which is proportional to body height.
I see, so you would be able to tell the difference between a tall, white, middle class, Jewish, carpenter (whose father was also a carpenter) from the Bronx and a short, black, middle class, Jewish, carpenter (whose father was also a carpenter) from the Bronx well enough to "just know" which of them was "black" and which was "white", would you?
Not at all. The taller one would merely be more likely to have a deeper voice because of longer vocal chords. Nothing to do either with fraction of Euro-Afro admixture nor with ethnic self-identity.
It's funny but I'm one of the few people who immediately KNEW that Vin Diesel had to be mixed. I never once thought he was Italian.
My ex had a half-sister who was biracial. Her "white" mother was a pale, gray-eyed woman with curly hair who sounded no different from AA women I've come into contact with. If you were to hear Carole on the phone you would honestly believe that this woman was either AA or a Latina with AA roots. Her body language, dialect, the whole way she spoke screamed "black"....but she is considered to be white.
It's funny but I'm one of the few people who immediately KNEW that Vin Diesel had to be mixed. I never once thought he was Italian.
My ex had a half-sister who was biracial. Her "white" mother was a pale, gray-eyed woman with curly hair who sounded no different from AA women I've come into contact with. If you were to hear Carole on the phone you would honestly believe that this woman was either AA or a Latina with AA roots. Her body language, dialect, the whole way she spoke screamed "black"....but she is considered to be white.
I know what you mean, It was my first unconscious thought that he was mixed as well.
Ha ha, Bischoff! Yes, she does. I was shocked. She had a fairly deep voice for a woman and it only emphasized the way she sounded.
My own white mother doesn't sound like this at all. She sounds like the Mainer she is. While she does have an accent, she still sounds "white". There's no doubt about it. Some of the white British girls from lower-income families that I know have biracial children and some of them try to adopt stereotypical "black" mannerisms and ways of speaking. A lot of white American girls/women do this, too.
Hey, Ty...I don't know what it is. I know guys who look like him and they identify as mixed. People would talk about this new Italian actor and I'd be like, "Who?"
Ha ha, Bischoff! Yes, she does. I was shocked. She had a fairly deep voice for a woman and it only emphasized the way she sounded.
My own white mother doesn't sound like this at all. She sounds like the Mainer she is. While she does have an accent, she still sounds "white". There's no doubt about it. Some of the white British girls from lower-income families that I know have biracial children and some of them try to adopt stereotypical "black" mannerisms and ways of speaking. A lot of white American girls/women do this, too.
Hey, Ty...I don't know what it is. I know guys who look like him and they identify as mixed. People would talk about this new Italian actor and I'd be like, "Who?"
Yes, growing up around and knowing-being familiar with mixed people it wasn't a revelation for me.
His breakout independant film Multifacial also gave me the second confirmation.
I think people automatically equate Vin with Vinnie and Vin Diesels appearance early on (being an bouncer in NYC) was a bit reflective of a (guido)
Would you like to show how the two gene pairs (and their four to six variants for each one) that govern skin colouration have anything whatsoever to do with the structure of a human's vocal apparatus? Would you like to show how the physical structure of a human's vocal apparatus has anything to do with a person's "race"?
Well, Raven, I actually never said it was linked to "race" or even to skin color. Please allow me to clarify - I do not accept the concept of "race" at all. There is currently only one "race" of man living on this planet and that is Homo sapiens. My assertion was/is that the sound of one's voice is genetic, since it is dependent upon anatomical features, which are inherited. I also stated that I believe environment can play a role in molding how a person sounds.
Consider this - sickle cell anemia is known to be more frequent in populations of significant sub-Saharan African ancestry as opposed to populations with significant European ancestry. Yet, sickle cell does not appear to be related to SKIN COLOR. A completely different scenario would be red hair and freckles. Have you ever noticed how people with red hair TEND to (this is not absolute) have freckles? Even people with brown skin and significant SSA ancestry? Brown skin, red hair, and freckles. Now, in this case, one might hypothesize that the genes for red hair and a freckled face are closely linked. I was not suggesting that voice was linked to skin color like freckles are linked to red hair. I think that the anatomical parameters that play a role in producing voice are inherited in a way similar to the gene for sickle cell anemia, i.e. not linked to genes that dictate one's appearance. In other words, it is reasonable, to me, for a group of people of mostly SSA ancestry to sound distinct from a group of people of mostly European ancestry, regardless of skin color.
My sister and I sound so much alike that I have begun addressing myself by name whenever I call my grandmother, because she has often confused us two on the phone. Granny is far from senile, so it's not that. Apparently, my sister did not realize Granny's dilemma and once had a WHOLE conversation with our grandmother with Granny thinking she was taking to me! Now, the fact that my sister and I happen to look a lot alike (her middle son thought we were twins until he was nine) is most likely unrelated to the fact that we sound alike. The reason I believe this is that my father sounds VERY CREEPILY like his older brother. So much so that it is difficult for me to talk to my uncle on the phone ever since my dad passed away. My dad was "high yella" with blue-green eyes and medium brown hair. My uncle is brown-skinned with with brown eyes and dark brown hair.
Do you see where I'm coming from, Raven? Genetic, but NOT related to skin color. "Race" is a moot point with me and I'm thinking it is with you, too, since you also type it as "race".
What did you think of Vin Diesel playing an Italian in the movie "Find Me Guilty" ?
It was horrible! I found the movie unwatchable because he appeared to be so heavily made up he looked to be in "white face". With his natural looks he could have played an italian, dark hair receding rather than sandy brown....
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My dad was "high yella" with blue-green eyes and medium brown hair. My uncle is brown-skinned with with brown eyes and dark brown hair.