21.816, Qs: Speech Rhythm in English

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LINGUIST List: Vol-21-816. Wed Feb 17 2010. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 21.816, Qs: Speech Rhythm in English

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1)
Date: 23-Jan-2010
From: Lussineh Vanyan < lvanyan at rambler.ru >
Subject: Speech Rhythm in English
 

	
-------------------------Message 1 ---------------------------------- 
Date: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:08:41
From: Lussineh Vanyan [lvanyan at rambler.ru]
Subject: Speech Rhythm in English

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Dear LINGUIST List subscribers, 

My research is for my PhD focuses comparative analyses of English 
and Armenian rhythm. Viewing rhythm as a complex structure of 
periodic events we aim at giving a thorough theoretical framework on 
the nature of speech rhythm, basic units of rhythmic hierarchy, 
typologically studying English and Armenian rhythm, and also rhythmic 
alternation of accented and non-accented words and comparison of 
acoustic parameters in the languages under study.

As rhythm is defined as a sequence of accented and unaccented 
elements we studied the accentual status of Armenian form words, 
some of which occurred to be under stress. We tried to find some 
English articles on the accentuation of English form words. I came 
across a bibliography on "Prosodic emphasis of function words" and 
got a slight notion, but could not find the works listed. If anyone could 
direct me, on how to find more on the accentuation of form words and 
phrasal accent in English, I would be grateful.

Another point of our research encompasses the statistical distribution 
of rhythmic units belonging to different parts of speech - nouns, verbs, 
adjectives, function words and their combinations. This is pioneering 
work in the sphere of Armenian phonetics and we have done it. But 
could I get similar data for comparing it with English? Or, should I do it 
myself?

I have consulted such authors as ???????? ?. ?., «??????????? 
??????? ?????????? ????», ??????? ?. ?., «???????? ? ??????? 
???????? ?????. ????????????? ???????????? ?? ????????? 
?????????? ? ?????????? ??????», 2004, Abercrombie D., "Studies in 
Phonetics and Linguistics", B. Hayes, "Metrical Stress Theory: 
principles and Case Studies". The study of rhythmic isochrony was 
based on works of P. Roach, "On the distinction between stress-timed 
and syllable-timed languages",  Cauldwell R., "The functional 
irrhythmicality of spontaneous speech: A discourse view of speech 
rhythms", Pamies Bertran, "Prosodic Typology: On the Dichotomy 
between Stress-timed and Syllable-timed languages", Hirst D., 
Chafcouloff M., "Rhythm in English: Isochronism, Pitch and Perceived 
Stress", Bouzon C., Hirst D., "Isochrony and Prosodic Structure in 
British English", F. Ramus, M. Nespor and J. Mehler, "Correlates of 
linguistic rhythm in the speech signal", Grabe, L. Low, "Durational 
Variability in Speech and the  Rhythm Class Hypothesis", Cummins, F. 
and Port, R. F., "Rhythmic constraints on stress-timing in English", ?. 
?. ????????, «?????????? ? ????????????? ???????? ?????? ? 
«???????? ????-?????», ??????? ?. ?. «????????? ? ??????? 
????? ? ???????????? ???????? ?????».

Once again, if you could point me in the direction of any works 
involving the above topics, I would greatly appreciate it.

Kind Regards,
L. Vanyan 

Linguistic Field(s): Discourse Analysis
                     Phonetics
                     Phonology
                     Typology




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