Speech Science Laboratory, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Adelphi University, New York, New York, USA.
Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2022;74(2):103-111. doi: 10.1159/000517676. Epub 2021 Jul 30.
BACKGROUND/AIM: The purpose of this study was to provide preliminary data concerning the effect of clear speech (CS) on Cantonese alaryngeal speakers' intelligibility.
Voice recordings of 11 sentences randomly selected from the Cantonese Sentence Intelligibility Test (CSIT) were obtained from 31 alaryngeal speakers (9 electrolarynx [EL] users, 10 esophageal speakers and 12 tracheoesophageal [TE] speakers) in habitual speech (HS) and CS. Two naïve listeners orthographically transcribed a total of 1,364 sentences.
Significant effects of speaking condition on speaking rate and CSIT scores were observed, but no significant effect of alaryngeal communication methods was noted. CS was significantly slower than HS by 0.78 syllables/s. Esophageal speakers demonstrated the slowest speech rate when using CS, while EL users demonstrated the largest decrease in speaking rate when using CS compared to HS. TE speakers had the highest CSIT scores in HS (listener 1 = 81.4%; listener 2 = 81.3%), and esophageal speakers had the highest CSIT scores in CS (listener 1 = 87.5%; listener 2 = 89.7%). EL users experienced the largest increase in intelligibility while using CS compared to HS (9.1%) followed by esophageal speakers (8.9%) and TE speakers (1.4%).
Preliminary data indicate that CS may significantly affect Cantonese alaryngeal speakers' speaking rate and intelligibility. However, intelligibility appeared to vary considerably across speakers. Further research involving larger, heterogeneous groups of speakers and listeners alongside longer and more refined CS training protocols should be conducted to confirm that CS can improve Cantonese alaryngeal speakers' intelligibility.
背景/目的：本研究旨在提供有关清晰言语（CS）对广东失音者可理解度影响的初步数据。
从 31 位失音者（9 位电子喉使用者、10 位食管发音者和 12 位气管食管发音者）的习惯性言语（HS）和 CS 中随机选取 11 个句子的语音录音，获得 11 个句子的语音录音。2 位无经验的听众将总共 1364 个句子进行音标转写。
说话条件对说话速度和 CSIT 分数有显著影响，但失音者的交流方式无显著影响。CS 比 HS 慢 0.78 个音节/秒。食管发音者在 CS 时说话速度最慢，而电子喉使用者在 CS 时比 HS 时说话速度下降最大。TE 发音者在 HS 时 CSIT 分数最高（听众 1 = 81.4%；听众 2 = 81.3%），食管发音者在 CS 时 CSIT 分数最高（听众 1 = 87.5%；听众 2 = 89.7%）。与 HS 相比，电子喉使用者在 CS 时的可理解度提高最大（9.1%），其次是食管发音者（8.9%）和 TE 发音者（1.4%）。
初步数据表明，CS 可能显著影响广东失音者的说话速度和可理解度。然而，不同的发音者之间的可理解度似乎有很大的差异。应进一步进行涉及更大、更多样化的发音者和听众群体以及更长和更精细的 CS 训练方案的研究，以证实 CS 可以提高广东失音者的可理解度。
