Prosodic predictors of discourse finality in spontaneous monologues

M.G.J. Swerts; R.P.G. Collier; J.M.B. Terken

doi:10.1016/0167-6393(94)90043-4

Prosodic predictors of discourse finality in spontaneous monologues

M.G.J. Swerts, R.P.G. Collier, J.M.B. Terken

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Abstract

This article reports on a study of the capacity of prosody to predict upcoming discourse boundaries. More specifically, it is investigated whether the approaching end of a route description can be pre-signalled by melodic and temporal characteristics. Experiment 1 brings to light that listeners are able to estimate on the basis of such prosodic properties how far a given utterance is situated from the end of a description. However, the scope of this prosodic prediction is relatively restricted as listeners can only estimate the absolute discourse position of the last two utterances of the monologue analyzed. Experiment 2 is run in order to explore systematically, by means of a test with synthetic speech, to what extent melodic and durational properties are sufficient to influence finality judgments.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	79-90
Journal	Speech Communication
Volume	15
Issue number	1-2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-6393(94)90043-4
Publication status	Published - 1994

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title = "Prosodic predictors of discourse finality in spontaneous monologues",

abstract = "This article reports on a study of the capacity of prosody to predict upcoming discourse boundaries. More specifically, it is investigated whether the approaching end of a route description can be pre-signalled by melodic and temporal characteristics. Experiment 1 brings to light that listeners are able to estimate on the basis of such prosodic properties how far a given utterance is situated from the end of a description. However, the scope of this prosodic prediction is relatively restricted as listeners can only estimate the absolute discourse position of the last two utterances of the monologue analyzed. Experiment 2 is run in order to explore systematically, by means of a test with synthetic speech, to what extent melodic and durational properties are sufficient to influence finality judgments.",

author = "M.G.J. Swerts and R.P.G. Collier and J.M.B. Terken",

year = "1994",

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AB - This article reports on a study of the capacity of prosody to predict upcoming discourse boundaries. More specifically, it is investigated whether the approaching end of a route description can be pre-signalled by melodic and temporal characteristics. Experiment 1 brings to light that listeners are able to estimate on the basis of such prosodic properties how far a given utterance is situated from the end of a description. However, the scope of this prosodic prediction is relatively restricted as listeners can only estimate the absolute discourse position of the last two utterances of the monologue analyzed. Experiment 2 is run in order to explore systematically, by means of a test with synthetic speech, to what extent melodic and durational properties are sufficient to influence finality judgments.

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JO - Speech Communication

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Prosodic predictors of discourse finality in spontaneous monologues

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