21.1528, Diss: Anthro Ling/Phonology: Nakata: 'Timing Relationship Between...'

Tue Mar 30 15:17:37 UTC 2010

LINGUIST List: Vol-21-1528. Tue Mar 30 2010. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 21.1528, Diss: Anthro Ling/Phonology: Nakata: 'Timing Relationship Between...'

Moderators: Anthony Aristar, Eastern Michigan U <aristar at linguistlist.org>
            Helen Aristar-Dry, Eastern Michigan U <hdry at linguistlist.org>

Reviews: Monica Macaulay, U of Wisconsin-Madison  
Eric Raimy, U of Wisconsin-Madison  
Joseph Salmons, U of Wisconsin-Madison  
Anja Wanner, U of Wisconsin-Madison  
       <reviews at linguistlist.org> 

Homepage: http://linguistlist.org/

The LINGUIST List is funded by Eastern Michigan University, 
and donations from subscribers and publishers.

Editor for this issue: Di Wdzenczny <di at linguistlist.org>
================================================================  

To post to LINGUIST, use our convenient web form at
http://linguistlist.org/LL/posttolinguist.cfm.

===========================Directory==============================  

1)
Date: 28-Mar-2010
From: Hitomi Nakata < hitomi_nakata at hotmail.com >
Subject: Timing Relationship Between Spoken and Sung Utterances in Japanese: Speech rhythm and musical rhythm

-------------------------Message 1 ---------------------------------- 
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2010 11:15:40
From: Hitomi Nakata [hitomi_nakata at hotmail.com]
Subject: Timing Relationship Between Spoken and Sung Utterances in Japanese: Speech rhythm and musical rhythm

E-mail this message to a friend:
http://linguistlist.org/issues/emailmessage/verification.cfm?iss=21-1528.html&submissionid=2621354&topicid=14&msgnumber=1

Institution: Reading University 
Program: Linguistics 
Dissertation Status: Completed 
Degree Date: 2006 

Author: Hitomi Nakata

Dissertation Title: Timing Relationship Between Spoken and Sung Utterances in
Japanese: Speech rhythm and musical rhythm 

Linguistic Field(s): Anthropological Linguistics
                     Phonology

Subject Language(s): Japanese (jpn)

Dissertation Director(s):
Peter J Roach
Linda Shockey

Dissertation Abstract:

This study examines the relationship between linguistic rhythm and 
rhythm in music in Japanese, with emphasis on the timing relationship 
between spoken and sung utterances.  Application of several 
measures suggest a strong link between prosodic units in spoken 
Japanese and their behaviour under musical conditions which 
collectively reveal timing patterns above the level of the mora.

Several empirical studies on the issue of spoken rhythm in relation to 
music were closely scrutinised, including those of cognitive 
approaches, metrical approaches, and numerical analyses of 
languages and the music of the culture.  A few research questions 
were brought out; 1) is the unit of timing in speech and music the 
mora?  2) are timing patterns in sung language very different from 
those in spoken language, i.e. does the relatively fixed tempo of music 
constrain the execution of linguistic patterns?, and 3) is there evidence 
that the unit of timing in Japanese is changing over time?  Question 2 
is addressed by the following hypotheses: 1) musical structure 
overrides phonetic structure, but 2) phonetic features may dominate 
musical constraints.  These hypotheses will be tested from acoustic 
measurement.

Based on these predictions, three types of experiments were 
systematically designed.  First, data analysis of existing songs was 
conducted, which provided partial evidence for the predictions.  Then, 
a set of four performance-based experiments were employed such as a 
task of testing musical rhythm, a tapping task for linguistic perception, a 
mapping task when singing, and a judgement task of the 
appropriateness of songs.  Finally, an acoustic measurement based on 
quasi-controlled text reading/singing was applied to examine more 
specific phonetic behaviours and their possible effects on timing 
patterns in larger units.  

Consistent results across these experiments indicate all the questions 
and hypotheses were generally supported in that subjects exhibited 
their sensitivity to units larger than the mora.  This finding was also 
observed under musical conditions and from both perceptual and 
productive performances.  A possible tight relationship in timing 
between a language and music was, thus, suggested.  This 
consistency was particularly observed amongst the younger subjects, 
in contrast with older subjects who showed their sensitivity to smaller 
boundaries.

Acoustic measurement revealed some phonetic realities and a possible 
discourse factor in singing, all which could be determiners of both 
spoken and sung timing.  Relative values of segmental durations and 
the variability of normalised indices for moras/syllables were not much 
different under singing condition, which leads to a further argument of 
whether a magnitude of forming similar patterns in both domain are 
unilateral or not.  That is, the effect on the influence of relative timing 
could occur in two directions: from linguistic timing to metrical 
constraints in music, or vice versa.

Overall, acoustic and non-acoustic experiments support each other 
and indicate a movement over time (i.e. with younger age groups) 
towards a temporal structure which is not strictly moraic in spoken 
Japanese.  This was also manifested in musical settings.  A few 
suggestions are made for future studies such as a potential method of 
conjoining numerical techniques and cultural aspects of music. 

-----------------------------------------------------------
This Year the LINGUIST List hopes to raise $65,000. This money will go to help 
keep the List running by supporting all of our Student Editors for the coming year.

See below for donation instructions, and don't forget to check out our Space Fund 
Drive 2010 and join us for a great journey!

http://linguistlist.org/fund-drive/2010/

There are many ways to donate to LINGUIST!

You can donate right now using our secure credit card form at  
https://linguistlist.org/donation/donate/donate1.cfm

Alternatively you can also pledge right now and pay later. To do so, go to: 
https://linguistlist.org/donation/pledge/pledge1.cfm

For all information on donating and pledging, including information on how to 
donate by check, money order, or wire transfer, please visit: 
http://linguistlist.org/donation/

The LINGUIST List is under the umbrella of Eastern Michigan University and as 
such can receive donations through the EMU Foundation, which is a registered 
501(c) Non Profit organization. Our Federal Tax number is 38-6005986. These 
donations can be offset against your federal and sometimes your state tax return 
(U.S. tax payers only). For more information visit the IRS Web-Site, or contact 
your financial advisor.

Many companies also offer a gift matching program, such that they will match 
any gift you make to a non-profit organization. Normally this entails your 
contacting your human resources department and sending us a form that the 
EMU Foundation fills in and returns to your employer. This is generally a simple 
administrative procedure that doubles the value of your gift to LINGUIST, without 
costing you an extra penny. Please take a moment to check if your company 
operates such a program.

Thank you very much for your support of LINGUIST! 
-----------------------------------------------------------
LINGUIST List: Vol-21-1528	