glossary of speech processing

acoustic[əˈkustək] - concerning the physical properties of sound waves

active articulator[ˌæktəv ˌɑɹˈtɪkjəˌletɹ̩] - the part of the vocal tract that moves in order to cause a narrowing ofthe vocal tract. The common active articulators are the lower lip, tongue tip, tongue blade,tongue body, and tongue root.

advanced[ədˈvænst] -

advanced tongue root (ATR)[ədˌvænst ˈtʌŋ ˌɹut] - the property of a sound that involves pushing the tongue root forwardand expanding the pharynx. When applied to vowels, many linguists treat "ATR" as asynonym for "tense".

affricate[ˈæfɹəkət] - a single sound formed by a stop closure followed by a fricative closure at the same

(or very close) places of articulation. Examples: [tʃ], [dz], [pf].airstream mechanism

[ˈɛɹˌstɹim ˌmɛkənɪzm ̩] - the mechanism used to start the air-flow required by a sound.

allophone[ˈæləˌfon] -

alveolar[ˌælˈvilɹ̩] or [ˌælviˈolɹ̩]- adjective for things related to the alveolar ridge- specifically: a sound made with the region between the alveolar ridge and the upper teeth asthe passive articulator.

alveolar ridge[ˌælˈvilɹ̩ ˈɹɪdʒ] -

alveopalatal[ˌælvioˈpælətl ̩] - a palatalized postalveolar, such as [ɕ] or [ʑ]. (This term is often also usedloosely by linguists who fail to distinguish between postalveolar and palatal places ofarticulation.)

amplitude[ˈæmpləˌtjud] -

apical[ˈepəkl ̩] or [ˈæpəkl ̩] - sounds made with the tip of the tongue as the active articulator.

approximant[əˈpɹɑksəmn̩t] -the degree of constriction in which the active and passive articulators

approach each other, but not closely enough to cause the air passing between them to become

Glossary http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~krussll/phonetics/glossary.html

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turbulent. The approximants of English are [w], [j], [ɹ], and [l].arytenoid cartilages

[əˈɹɪtəˌnɔjd ˈkɑɹtl ̩ədʒəz] -aspirated

[ˈæspɹ̩ˌetəd] -assimilation

[əˌsɪməˈleʃn ̩] - a process that causes a sound to become more similar to one of its neighbours.

back (vowel)[ˈbæk ˌvawl] -

Bark[ˈbɑɹk] -

bilabial[ˌbajˈlebil ̩]- adjective for things involving both lips- specifically: the place of articulation of a sound made with both lips as the articulators, e.g.,[p], [b], [m].

breathy[ˈbɹɛθi] -

broad transcription[ˈbɹɑd ˌtrænsˈkɹɪpʃn̩] -

Canadian raising[kəˈnedin̩ ˈrezɪŋ] - the property of many Canadian dialects of English (and some others)

where the diphthongs /aj/ and /aw/ are pronounced with a higher starting point -- [ʌj] and

[ʌw] -- when they occur before voiceless consonants.

cardinal vowel[ˈkɑɹdn̩l ̩ ˈvawl] - In the system of referring to vowel positions created by Daniel Jones (and

still often used, especially in Britain), one of the four "equally spaced" front vowels [i, e, ɛ, a],four "equally spaced" back vowels [ɑ, ɔ, o u], or their counterparts with opposite rounding [y,ø, œ, ɶ, ɒ, ʌ, ɤ, ɯ].

central[ˈsɛntɹl ̩](of a consonant) not lateral(of a vowel) made with the tongue body in a position horizontally between front and back

centralized[ˈsɛntɹəˌlajzd] -

click[ˈklɪk] -


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close[ˈklos] = high (vowel)

cochlea[ˈkɑkliə] -the organ in the inner ear that separates incoming sounds into their frequency

components and sends that information as nerve impulses to the brain.

coda[ˈkodə] -the part of the syllable that comes after the nucleus, e.g., [nd] in [ɡɹajnd].

coronal[ˈkɔɹənl ̩] or [kəˈɹonl ̩] - a cover term for sounds made with either tongue tip or tongue blade asthe active articulator.

closure (phase)[ˈkloʒɹ̩] - the medial phase of a stop, where the active and passive articulators are touching

each other.

coarticulation[ˌko.ɑɹˌtɪkjəˈleʃn̩] -

creaky[ˈkɹiki] -

decibel (dB)[ˈdɛsəbl̩] - a unit of sound intensity (or amplitude), equal to one-tenth of a bel.

degree of constriction[dəˈɡɹi əv kn̩ˈstɹɪkʃn̩] - the narrowness of the constriction formed by the active and passive

articulators. Most common degrees of constriction: stop, fricative, approximant.

dental[ˈdɛntl ̩] -adjective for things involving the teethspecifically: the place of articulation for sounds with the upper teeth as the passive articulator,such as [θ], [ð].

diacritic[ˌdajəˈkɹɪtək] - a small IPA symbol placed above, below, or next to another symbol in order to

slightly modify that symbol's meaning.

diphthong[ˈdɪfˌθɑŋ] - a vowel during which the tongue body moves from one position to another.

dorsal[ˈdɔɹsl ̩] - adjective for things involving the tongue body.

dorsum[ˈdɔɹsəm] - fancy term for the tongue body -- specifically the back part of the tongue body(from the Latin word for "back").

downstep[ˈdawnˌstɛp] -


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ejective[iˈdʒɛktəv] -

epiglottal[ˌɛpəˈɡlɑtl ̩] -

epiglottis[ˌɛpəˈɡlɑtəs] -

extended IPA (or extIPA)[əkˈstɛndəd ˌajˌpiˈe] - a set of additional phonetic symbols and diacritics, used primarily for

sounds which do not typically occur in normal adult speech, but may occur in child speech ordisordered speech.

f0[ˌɛf ˈzɪɹo] - abbreviation for fundamental frequency.

F1, F2, F3, etc.[ˌɛf ˈwʌn], etc. -

faucal pillars[ˈfɑkl ̩ ˈpɪlɹ̩z] -

FFTFast Fourier Transform [fæst ˈfʊɹiˌje ˈtɹænzˌfɔɹm] - the most common mathematicaltechnique for finding the spectrum of a waveform.

filter[ˈfɪltɹ̩] - in the source/filter model, the component that modifies (using resonance) the wave

produced by the source. For speech, this is all of the vocal tract above the vocal folds.

flap[ˈflæp] -

focus accent[ˈfokəs ˈækˌsɛnt] -

formant[ˈfɔɹmn̩t] -

Fourier analysis[ˈfʊɹiˌje əˈnæləsəs] - a mathematical technique for separating a complex wave into the simple

waves that make it up.

frequency[ˈfɹikwənsi] -

fricative[ˈfɹɪkətəv] - the manner of articulation where the active and passive articulators are closeenough together that the air flowing between them becomes turbulent; or a consonant havingthis manner of articulation, e.g., [f, s, z, θ].

front (vowel)


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[fɹʌnt] -fundamental frequency

[ˌfʌndəˈmɛntl ̩ ˈfɹikwənsi] -glide

[ɡlajd] - a type of approximant which is essentially a vowel occupying a consonant's position

in a syllable, such as [j] corresponding to [i] or [w] corresponding to [u].glottal

[ˈɡlɑtl ̩] - adjective for things having to do with the glottis.

glottal stop[ˌɡlɑtl ̩ ˈstɑp] - a consonant formed by closing the vocal folds, symbolized by IPA [ʔ], as in

English [ʔʌ̃ʔʌ̃] uh-uh.

glottal wave[ˈɡlɑtl ̩ ˈwev] - the waveform produced by the larynx, before it is filtered by the rest of the

vocal tract.

glottis[ˈɡlɑtəs] - the opening between the vocal folds.

harmonic[ˌhɑɹˈmɑnək] - one of the simple sine waves that makes up the spectrum of a complex wave.

Hertz (Hz)[hɹ̩ts] - a measure of a waves frequency: the number of times the wave repeats itself in onesecond. (also known as "cycles per second")

high (vowel)[haj] -

implosive[ɪmˈplosəv] -

intonation[ˌɪntəˈneʃn̩] -

IPA[ˌaj ˌpi ˈe] -International Phonetic Alphabet, or International Phonetic Association

labial[ˈlebil ̩] - adjective for things having to do with the lips

labialized [ˈlebiəˌlajzd] -

labio-velar[ˌlebioˈvilɹ̩] - a sound that involves both a bilabial constriction and a velar constriction

articulated simultaneously (or with a lot of overlap). E.g., [w], [gb].laminal


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[ˈlæmənl ̩] - a sound made with the tongue blade as the active articulator.

laryngeal[ləˈɹɪndʒl ̩] -

laryngealized[ləˈɹɪndʒəˌlajzd] -

larynx[ˈlɛɹɪŋks] -

lateral[ˈlætɹ̩l ̩] -

lateral release[ˈlætɹ̩l ̩ ɹəˈlis] -

lax[læks] -

length[lɛŋθ] -

Linear Predictive Coding (LPC)[ˈlɪniɹ̩ pɹəˈdɪktəv ˈkodɪŋ] - a computer algorithm for figuring out the formants of awaveform.

linguolabial[ˌlɪŋɡwəˈlebil ̩] - a sound made by the tongue tip or blade touching the upper lip -- very rare.

liquid[ˈlɪkwəd] -a cover term for "l"-like or "r"-like sonorants.

low (vowel)[lo] -

medial (phase)[ˈmidil ̩ ˈfez] -

mel[mɛl] -

mid (vowel)[mɪd] -

modal voicing[ˈmodl ̩ ˈvɔjsɪŋ] -

monophthong[ˈmɑnəfˌθɑŋ] - a vowel during which the tongue body stays in more or less the same place, asopposed to a diphthong, where the tongue body moves.

narrow transcription -


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nasal[ˈnezl̩] -1) general, 2) IPA row

nasalized[ˈnezəˌlajzd] -

nasal release[ˈnezl̩ ɹəˈlis] -

non-pulmonic[ˌnɑn pl ̩ˈmɑnək] -

nucleus[ˈnjukliəs] - the part of the syllable containing the vowel (including any of the vowel's

on-glides or off-glides). E.g., the [aj] in [ɡɹajnd].obstruent

[ˈɑbstɹuənt] - a plosive or a fricative.

offglide[ˈɑfˌɡlajd] -

offset (phase)[ˈɑfˌsɛt ˈfez] -

onset (of a syllable)[ˈɑnˌsɛt] -

onset (phase)[ˈɑnˌsɛt ˈfez] -

open[ˈopn̩] = low

oral[ˈɔɹəl] -

palatal[ˈpælətl̩] - adjective for things related to the hard palate

- specifically: the place of articulation for sounds made with the hard palate as the passivearticulator, such as [j]

palatalized[ˈpælətəˌlajzd] -

passive articulator[ˈpæsəv ˌɑɹˈtɪkjəˌletɹ̩] -

pharyngeal[fəˈɹɪndʒl̩] - adjective for things involving the pharynx, or upper throat.

- specifically: the place of articulation of sounds with the pharynx as the passive articulator.

pharyngealized


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[fəˈɹɪndʒəˌlajzd] -pharynx

[ˈfɛɹɪŋks] -phonation

[ˌfoˈneʃn̩]- the kind of activity the vocal folds are engaged in. "Voiced" and "voiceless" are thetwo most common types of phonation.

phoneme[ˈfoˌnim] -

phonology[fəˈnɑlədʒi] -

pitch[pɪtʃ] -

place of articulation (POA)[ˈples əv ˌɑɹˌtɪkjəˈleʃn̩] -

plosive[ˈplosəv] -

POA - abbreviation for place of articulation

postalveolar[ˈpost ˌælˈvilɹ̩] - adjective for things involving the area immediately behind the alveolar ridge.- specifically: the place of articulation of sounds with the postalveolar region as the passivearticulation, such as [ʃ], [ʒ], [tʃ], and [dʒ].

pre-aspirated[ˌpɹiˈæspɹ̩ˌetəd] -

prenasalized[ˌpɹiˈnezəˌlajzd] -

primary stress[ˈpɹajˌmɛɹi ˈstrɛs] -

pulmonic[ˌpʌlˈmɑnək] - adjective for things involving the lungs, especially for the airstreammechanism where the movement of air is caused by the lungs (i.e., the normal airstreammechanism, as opposed to clicks, ejectives, and implosives).

radical[ˈɹædəkl̩] - adjective for things involving the tongue root.

reduced[ɹəˈdjust] -

release


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[ɹəˈlis] - the offset phase of a stop, where the active articulator stops touching and moves awayfrom the secondary articulator.

release burst[ɹəˈlis ˌbɹ̩st] -

resonance[ˈɹɛzənəns] -

response curve[ɹəˈspɑns ˌkɹ̩v] -a graph of how much a particular object would resonate if it were given

various frequencies, graphed with frequency on the horizontally and response curve on thevertical axis.

retracted[ɹəˈtɹæktəd] - adjective for a sound that occurs with the active articulator somewhat further

back in the mouth than it usually is (or further back than the IPA symbol without anydiacritics might suggest).

retracted tongue root (RTR)[ɹəˈtɹæktəd ˈtʌŋ ˌɹut] - a term for sounds which have the tongue root pushed back toward the

rear wall of the pharynx -- often used as a synonym for "lax".

retroflex[ˈɹɛtɹoˌflɛks] - adjective for things involving a curled-up tongue tip.

- specifically: the place of articulation for sounds made with the tongue tip curled back to thepostalveolar region or further.

rhotic[ˈɹotək] - a cover term for "r"-like sounds, including taps and flaps [ɾ] and [ɽ], trills [r] and [ʀ],and the approximants [ɹ] and [ɻ].

rhoticized[ˈɹotəˌsajzd] -

round[ɹawnd] - adjective for a sound made with the lips rounded.

schwa[ʃwɑ] -

secondary articulation[ˈsɛkn̩ˌdɛɹi ˌɑrˌtɪkjeˈleʃn̩] -

secondary stress[ˈsɛkn̩ˌdɛɹi ˈstɹɛs] -

segment[ˈsɛɡmn̩t] -

sibilant[ˈsɪbl ̩n̩t] - another term for a strident


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sine wave[ˈsajn ˌwev] -

sone[son] -

sonorant[ˈsɑnɹ̩n̩t] -

source[sɔɹs] -

spectrogram[ˈspɛktɹəˌɡɹæm] -

spectral tilt[ˈspɛktɹl ̩ ˈtɪlt] -

spectrum[ˈspɛktɹəm] - the set of simple waves that a complex wave is composed of.

spectrum diagram[ˈspɛktɹəm ˈdajəˌɡɹæm] - a representation of a complex wave's spectrum. Ideally has avertical line (representing frequency and amplitude) for each simple wave -- thoughcomputer-generated spectrum diagrams are usually much messier.

stop[stɑp] -

stress[stɹɛs] -

striation[stɹiˈeʃn̩] -

strident[ˈstɹajdn̩t] - a fricative with especially loud turbulent noise. The strident sounds in English are

[s, z, ʃ, z, tʃ, dʒ], but not [f, v, θ, ð].suprasegmental

[ˌsupɹəˌsɛɡˈmɛntl ̩] -syllabic consonant

[səˈlæbək ˈkɑnsənənt] - a consonant that occurs in the nucleus of a syllable, that is, in the

position of a syllable where you normally expect a vowel.

tap[tæp] -

tense[tɛns] -

tone


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[ton] -tongue blade

[ˈtʌŋ ˌbled] - the flat part of the surface of the tongue immediately behind the tongue tip.

tongue body[ˈtʌŋ ˌbɑdi] -

tongue root[ˈtʌŋ ˌɹut] -

tongue tip[ˈtʌŋ ˌtɪp] -

trill[tɹɪl] -

triphthong[ˈtɹɪfˌθɑŋ] -

unreleased[ˌʌn ɹəˈlist] -

upstep[ˈʌpˌstɛp] -

uvula[ˈjuvjələ] - the dangly piece of tissue forming the farthest back and lowest part of the soft

palate.

uvular[ˈjuvjəlɹ̩] - adjective for things involving the uvula.

- specifically: the place of articulation for sounds with the uvula as the passive articulator,such as [q] or [ʀ].

velar[ˈvilɹ̩] -adjective for things involving the velum, or soft palate.

- specifically: the place of articulation for sounds with the velum as the passive articulator,such as [k], [ɡ], and [ŋ].

velarized[ˈviləˌrajzd] - adjective for sounds having a velar approximant [ɰ] as a secondary articulation.

velar pinch[ˈvilɹ̩ ˈpɪntʃ] - a characteristic pattern of formant transitions often found for velar consonants,where F2 and F3 approach each other.

velum[ˈviləm] - the soft palate.

vocal folds[ˈvokl ̩ ˌfoldz] -


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voice bar[ˈvɔjs ˌbɑɹ] - a thin, dark, horizontal bar often seen at the bottom of a spectrogram duringvoiced sounds.

voice onset time (VOT)[ˌvɔjs ˈɑnˌsɛt ˌtajm] - the length of time between the release of an oral stop closure and thebeginning of vocal fold vibration for the following voiced sound (usually a vowel). Voicelessunaspirated plosives usually have VOTs close to zero (i.e., the stop's release and the onset ofvoicing happen at about the same time). Aspirated plosives have longer VOTs.

voiced[vɔjst] - adjective for sounds made with vocal fold vibration.

voiceless[ˈvɔjsləs] - adjective for sounds made without vocal fold vibration.

waveform[ˈwevˌfɔɹm] - a diagram of the vibrations of a wave, with time shown on the horizontal axisand pressure variation or amplitude on the vertical axis.

wavelength[ˈwevˌlɛŋɡθ] - the spatial distance between comparable points in two successive cycles of awave (e.g., between peak and peak or between trough and trough). Inversely related tofrequency: high-frequency waves have shorter wavelengths; low-frequency waves have longerwavelengths.

Wh-question[ˌdubl ̩ju ˈetʃ ˌkwɛstʃn̩] - a question that expects a specific piece of information (as in "What

did you eat?"), as opposed to yes/no question (as in "Are you hungry?"). Called"Wh-questions" because most of the question words used in this type of question in Englishbegin with "wh": who, what, where, why, when, how.

yes/no question[ˌjɛs ˈno ˌkwɛstʃn̩] - a question that expects either a "yes" or a "no" for an answer (as in "Areyou hungry?"), as opposed to a Wh-question, which expects a specific piece of information (asin "What did you eat?").


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glossary of speech processing

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