A Research on the Acoustic analysis of Tone4-Tone4 Change for Children with Hearing Impairments

ZHANG Lei; HAN Xiuhua; PENG Yunhui

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1672-2922.2017.01.016

Abstract：Objective To explore acoustic characteristics of Tone4+Tone4 change for preschool children with hear-ing impairment. Methods Tone acoustics parameters were measured between 60 normal children and children with hear-ing impairment from age 3 to 5 years old. Results (1)Both hearing impaired and normal children showed F0max in monosyl-labic tone4 was significantly greater than that in former tone4 and latter tone4 (P<0.05, P<0.01),and F0max in former tone4 was significantly greater than that in latter tone4(P<0.01). (2) F0min of hearing impaired children in monosyllabic tone4 and latter tone4 were significantly greater than normal children (P<0.01).There was no significant difference in F0min in former tone4 for both groups of children. (3) F0(max-min) of hearing impaired children was significantly small-er than normal children (P<0.01).F0(max-min) in monosyllabic tone4 was significantly greater than that in former tone4 and latter tone4(P<0.01, P<0.01), and F0(max-min) of tone4 in latter tone4 was significantly greater than that in former tone4(P<0.01).(4) F0k in former tone4 of deaf children was significantly greater than normal chindren(P<0.01). There was no significant difference in F0k in monosyllabic tone4 and latter tone4 for both hearing impaired and normal chil-dren. Conclusions Both hearing impaired children and normal children will change their tone when pronouncing tone4-tone4 words, and exhibited adult-like pitch pattern. However, the tone4-tone4 pronunciation capabilityfor hearing impaired children were far behind from normal children and showed lower F0minin in latter tone4, smaller F0 (max-min) and uneconomic co-articulation.