Analysing fundamental frequency contours and local speech rate in map task dialogs

The current paper reports first results from the analysis of task-oriented dialogs using a Fujisaki model-based parameterization of F0 contours, as well as a model of the perceptual local speech rate. Two versions of map task style dialogs were examined: (1) the recordings made during the map task proper, (2) readings from scripts of the original dialogs by the same subjects. The first part of this paper presents an analysis of phrase boundaries with respect to form and function. A second issue is the problem of processing fillers, hesitations and repairs within the framework of the Fujisaki model-based analysis. The second part of the paper describes the comparative analysis of spontaneous and read versions of the same dialog fragments with respect to Fujisaki model parameters, contours of the perceptual local speech rate, and other features. In a perception test we asked listeners to identify the speaking style of dialog fragments. Apparently this was possible only for part of the data. Analysis of accent commands and perceptual local speech rate contours still suggested differences between the two speaking styles. The number of accented syllables, the associated accent commands' amplitudes, and the perceptual local speech rate were generally higher in the read than in the spontaneous utterances. These results were almost significant despite the fact that the read version had been well re-enacted by the subjects and therefore did not exactly exhibit typical reading style characteristics. Despite this drawback, the methodology presented here has strong potential for further comparative prosodic studies of speaking styles. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.