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AN IDIOLECTAL “VOICE REPORT” ANALYSIS OF SINGLE AND DOUBLE CODA DEVOICING IN MINNESOTA ENGLISH
Get PDFThe Voice Report function in Praat makes it possible to calculate the amount of voicing that occurs dynamically within a segment. This function is used here to investigate how Author 2 produces voiced consonants that occur in the codas of 15 words in an elicitation paragraph read at a normal tempo. Some words end with a singleton coda, while others have double codas. When the measurements are interpreted in accordance with F0 and the 40/60 Just Noticeable Difference (JND) thresholds, we see that coda devoicing is pervasive in Author 2’s speech. When the evidence presented here is added to the findings of Koffi and Lundy (2017:109-24), Koffi and Simmonds (2018:175-84), it becomes clear that coda devoicing is pervasive in Minnesota English. This paper makes a significant contribution because it provides acoustic phonetic measurements on double coda devoicing, a phenomenon that has not been widely studied
When am I a doctor ?
Get PDFWhat does it mean to be a “doctor”? Being a doctor is not only about the medications or procedures that we perform, but about the connections that we make with patients and their families in challenging moments. Expressing our thoughts about these emotional experiences through the lens of the arts and humanities can be an effective way of processing these moments and safeguarding our humanity
Instruction for Elementary Students With Learning Disabilities
Get PDFIn this starred paper, I examine three reading instruction models for elementary students with learning disabilities: 95 Phonics Core Program, PRESS, and Heggerty Phonemic Awareness. I analyzed data from earlier research and found that these instruction models help elementary students with learning disabilities increase their reading ability. LETRS professional development training was reviewed since school districts in Minnesota are required to revamp their literacy instruction
General Course Catalog [2024/25 academic year]
Get PDFGeneral Course Catalog, 2024/25 academic yearhttps://repository.stcloudstate.edu/undergencat/1136/thumbnail.jp
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Sectoral Composition of GDP in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
Get PDFThe study investigates the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on the sectoral composition of GDP in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Utilizing a comprehensive dataset, the research covers 41 SSA countries over the period from 2005 to 2022. This extensive timeframe allows for the analysis of long-term trends and the evolving role of ICT in the region\u27s economic structure. The study employs the system Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator on dynamic panel data to address potential endogeneity issues and to capture the dynamic relationship between ICT and sectoral GDP composition.
The ICT index used in the analysis is a composite measure that includes the number of internet users, telephone subscriptions, fixed broadband internet subscribers, and international internet bandwidth. This index provides a holistic view of ICT penetration and infrastructure in the region, reflecting both access and usage dimensions. The findings do not allow for the determination of the direct impact of ICT on industrial shares of GDP. They provides the estimated coefficients of ICT from the reduced forms in my system. These coefficients are function of unknown structural coefficients. The reduced form coefficients are underidentified, this means that there is not enough information to separate and identify the individual structural components from these combined effects.
The study contributes to the literature by providing a nuanced understanding of the role of ICT in economic development within the SSA context, highlighting the need for complementary policies and investments to control the full benefits of ICT. The study also suggest directions for future research, including the exploration of the individual components of the ICT composite index used in this study as independent measures of ICT. Further studies could also extend the analysis at the sub-regional level to account for the digital divide present in some countries and sub-regions
Experimental Analysis: Vowel Features of Native Hebrew Speakers of English for Speaker Verification
Get PDFThis experimental analysis investigates the robustness of 11 acoustic phonetic features of six vowels among native Hebrew speakers of English for speaker verification purposes, utilizing the Praat software for extraction. The research aims to determine whether these features are robust enough for effective speaker verification and to identify if any single feature can independently serve this purpose. Additionally, it explores which vowel is most discriminatory between the imposters and the person of interest (POI). This study measures the acoustic phonetic features from running speech, a method that is commonly used in speaker verification and impersonation studies. The speech samples for this analysis come from the Speech Accent Archive by Weinberger (2015). The participants are 11 native Hebrew speakers of English: seven males and four females. The English corner vowels /i, æ, u, ɑ / and the mid vowels /o, e/ are analyzed. The methodology used in the study consisted of extracting, measuring, and annotating the features from three lexical items in each vowel set. The extracted features are F0, F1, F2, F3, F4, Harmonic-to-Noise Ratio (HNR), jitter, shimmer, mean Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC), intensity, and duration. The study reveals that most of the examined features are sufficiently robust for speaker verification, with the exception of intensity, which is the weakest feature. Additionally, no single feature proves adequate for verification on its own; a combination of features provides the most comprehensive and reliable speech profile. The lot vowel, [ɑ], is identified as the most robust in the formant domain, with the trap vowel, [æ], also proving to be discriminatory. The spectral domain resulted in [i] being robust for HNR, jitter, shimmer, and [u] being robust for MFCC. These findings highlight the importance of using a diverse set of features to enhance speaker verification accuracy. An unexpected result emerged from the mean MFCC analysis, which did not align with findings from other features. This discrepancy suggests that while widely used in speaker verification, it should be evaluated alongside other features to ensure an accurate analysis. The [o] vowel was the most robust for the weakest correlate, intensity, and the [e] vowel was the most discriminatory for duration. One limitation of the study is the reliance on a single speech sample per participant. This in-depth and comprehensive research highlights the value of feature extraction via Praat in scenarios where automated speaker verification (ASV) systems are unavailable or unreliable. The findings contribute to forensic linguistics by providing detailed insights into acoustic features for multilingual populations and suggesting improvements for both Praat and ASV methods. Future research should incorporate more samples per speaker and different contextual factors. Integrating ASV technology could enhance the reliability and accuracy of speaker verification methodologies. A long-term study could also explore how verification features evolve over time in speakers of more than one language
Use of non-referential gestures in Canadian-English speaking children between the ages of 5 and 9 years
Get PDFHand gestures are an integral part of human communication (Gullberg et al., 2010). Research has demonstrated that referential (those that reflect meaning) gestures, begin to develop before a child reaches one year of age, and plays an important role in language acquisition (Vila-Gimenez & Prieto, 2021; Rohlfing et al., 2017). However, this link has been less established for nonreferential (those that do not reflect meaning) gestures, also referred to as beats. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the use of non-referential gestures in Canadian-English speaking typically developing children aged 5 to 9. Patterns of use of beat gestures were examined through a story retelling task. It was determined that children aged 5 to 9 used beats with adult-like characteristics; i.e., with well-defined stroke phases. Additionally, the children used more beats when compared to referential gestures. Younger children (5.0-6.11) were seen to use referential gestures more frequently with content than function words, while older children (7.0-8.11) used beats with both function and content words. However, these developmental trends were not substantiated by statistical analyses. These outcomes could suggest that children aged 5-9 years have not yet formed a clear link between the use of gestures with spoken output. Findings from this study leave avenues for future research to identify how beat gestures align with spoken output across a range of discourse tasks and populations
Inclusive For All! How civic engagement can encourage LGBTQ literature in the classroom
Get PDFOver the last 10 years, there has been a huge shift in LGBTQ culture within the classroom. According to the 2019 Minnesota Student Survey, LGBTQ students are three times as likely to say they’ve seriously considered attempting suicide,” (Minnesota Department of Health). The influx of safety and mental health issues with LGBTQ youth have spiked in the last 5 years. There has been small steps to provide a more inclusive environment: provide Safe Space and/or diversity trainings to staff and faculty, administrators speaking with students about LGBTQ issues and even introducing LGBTQ history in school districts. While this is a great step for schools to take, the work is not done yet within the classrooms. There are a number of students who identify within the community and would like to see more representation of themselves in the novels they read within their English classes.
Having society understand the terminology within the LGBTQIA+ community is crucial for adults understanding the current issues that students are facing inside and outside the classroom. The terminology surrounding gender and sexual identity would be an eye-opening experience for those students who need to feel true to themselves with their true identities. This is in addition to testimonial confessions from students and staff, who may not feel supported within their schools and/or school districts