timing patterns in language?

[Patrick, Peter L]

don't know, and would be interested, but am a little dubious -
not that this might exist, but that we know enough to assert it does.

Of course any differences measured would be "down to microsecond 
levels", or perhaps "milliseconds" actually, as that is a
standard unit of measurement in phonetic soft-/hardware. But what is
known about the replicability and variability of such patterns 
within native-language groups, much less their migrant descendants?
It seems pretty unlikely that enough is known to identify patterns,
much less departures from them... Also, what exactly is being timed
here?
VOT? pause length? pitch peaks? fricative duration? glide duration?
	There is however work contrasting dialects and languages on
features such as rhythmicity, eg pitch-peak delay in stressed vs 
unstressed syllables, in an attempt to work out finer measures than
the broad qualitative distinction between stress- and syllable-timed
varieties. I heard an interesting paper of this sort last week from
Laurence White
(http://psychology.psy.bris.ac.uk/people/laurencewhite.htm)
and expect he might be a good person to ask; also Jim Scobbie
(http://www.qmuc.ac.uk/ssrc/staff/jscobbie/Default.htm), who made 
illuminating comments.

	-peter p-

Peter L Patrick
Dept of Language and Linguistics
University of Essex
patrickp at essex.ac.uk

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-linganth at ats.rochester.edu 
> [mailto:owner-linganth at ats.rochester.edu] On Behalf Of 
> Richard J Senghas
> Sent: 19 September 2005 22:45
> To: Linganth List
> Subject: [Linganth] timing patterns in language?
> 
> 
> Hey folks,
> 
> I recall coming across an article or paper that analyzed timing 
> patterns in speech, but cannot locate it now, despite my best 
> efforts.  The article analyzed extremely small differences in timing 
> patterns with speech, down to microsecond levels, if I recall 
> correctly, and concluded that native English-speaking descendents of 
> Italian-speaking immigrants were unconsciously carrying timing 
> patterns that had been handed down the generations, despite the 
> change in native language.  These patterns account, in part, for the 
> particular ethnic association people will attribute to certain ways 
> of speaking.
> 
> Does this sound familiar to anyone?  If so, I'd love references, or 
> even pointers to likely sources.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> -Richard
> -- 
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