[Development and equivalence evaluation of spondee lists of mandarin speech test materials].

OBJECTIVE

To edit the spondee (disyllable) word lists as a part of mandarin speech test materials (MSTM). These will be basic speech materials for routine tests in clinics and laboratories.

METHODS

Two groups of professionals (audiologists, Chinese and Mandarin scientists, linguistician and statistician) were set up at first. The editing principles were established after 3 round table meetings. Ten spondee lists, each with 50 words, were edited and recorded into cassettes. All lists were phonemically balanced (3-dimensions: vowels, consonants and Chinese tones). Seventy-three normal hearing college students were tested. The speech was presented by earphone monaurally. Three statistic methods were used for equivalent analysis.

RESULTS

Related analysis showed that all lists were much related, except List 5. Cluster analysis showed that all ten lists could be classified as two groups. But Kappa test showed that the lists' homogeneity were not well.

CONCLUSIONS

Spondee lists are one of the most routine speech test materials. Their editing, recording and equivalent evaluation are affected by many factors. This also needs multi-discipline cooperation. All lists edited in present study need future modification in recording and testing in order to be used clinically and in research. The phonemic balance should be kept.