Individual features in voice quality.

Abstract

CHAPTER 1: We know little more about voice quality now than was known
\nin phonetic theory a century ago. But it can be argued that there is
\nan intimate and crucial relationship between voice quality and phonetic
\nquality, the prime datum of spoken language: phonetic theory,, as part of
\ngeneral linguistic theory, should be able to offer a scientific analysis
\nof voice quality, in order to clarify this relationship, as well as to
\nbe able to understand some of the factors that distinguish the voices
\nof different speakers. An approach to such an analysis is initiated
\nin this chapter by constructing a semiotic typology of conventional
\nlabels for voices, which leads on to a theoretical discussion of the
\nprinciples, both impressionistic and scientific, on which different
\ntypes and aspects of voice quality can be classified.
\n
\nCHAPTER 2: The history of the analysis of voice quality is discussed,
\nfrom the tine of Cicero and Quintilian to the present day., with
\nemphasis on the period from the beginning of the seventeenth century
\nonwards.
\n
\nCHAPTER 3: A phonetic system for the description of voice quality is
\nput forward, in terms of both physiological and acoustic parameters. A
\ndescriptive phonetic terminology is proposed. An experiment to establish
\nthe feasibility of synthesising different voice qualities by means of a
\nresonance analogue speech synthesiser (PAT) is reported, and an illustrative
\ntape recording of seventy two different synthetic voice qualities
\nis provided.
\n
\nCHAPTER 4: The place of voice quality in a semiotic analysis of spoken
\ncommunication is discussed. Two particular areas are covered: the
\nindication by voice quality factors of physical, psychological and
\nsocial attributes of a speaker; and the particular semiotic, relation
\nbetween voice quality and phonetic quality., with discussion of the
\nconsequences of this relation not only for general linguistic theory,
\nbut also for the facilitation of improved techniques of analysis in
\nareas of current interest in sociological linguistics concerning social
\ndifferentiation by language, in urban dialectology.