Nimitbunnasarn C, Amatyakul P, Gandour J, Carney A, Nimitbunnasarn C, Amatyakul P
J Speech Hear Res. 1984 Mar;27(1):89-97. doi: 10.1044/jshr.2701.89.
In a tone language, every syllable or word may have a distinctive pitch pattern as part of its phonemic composition. This study examined the extent and nature of impairment in the perception of phonemic tones by hearing-impaired listeners in Thai, a tone language that has five phonemic tones. Seventy-six subjects were assigned to four listener groups: normal-hearing (n = 21), mild-hearing-loss (n = 21), moderate-hearing-loss (n = 26), and severe-hearing-loss (n = 8). Five Thai words differing only in tone were presented for identification in both natural speech and synthetic speech versions. Results from the phonemic identification tests indicated that tonal identification is affected by the presence of sensorineural hearing loss. In particular, the number and often the type of tonal confusions made by Thai hearing-impaired listeners varied with the extent of hearing loss for both natural and synthetic speech versions. In contrast to previous findings on the patterns of consonant and vowel confusions in hearing-impaired listeners, the patterns of tonal confusions in hearing-impaired listeners can be related to the degree of hearing loss.
在声调语言中，每个音节或单词可能有独特的音高模式，作为其音素构成的一部分。本研究考察了泰语（一种有五个音素声调的声调语言）中听力受损听众对音素声调感知的损伤程度和性质。76名受试者被分为四个听众组：听力正常（n = 21）、轻度听力损失（n = 21）、中度听力损失（n = 26）和重度听力损失（n = 8）。呈现了五个仅在声调上不同的泰语单词，用于自然语音和合成语音版本的识别。音素识别测试结果表明，声调识别受感音神经性听力损失的影响。特别是，泰国听力受损听众产生的声调混淆数量以及类型，在自然语音和合成语音版本中均随听力损失程度而变化。与之前关于听力受损听众辅音和元音混淆模式的研究结果不同，听力受损听众的声调混淆模式可能与听力损失程度有关。
