Rhythmic Constraints on Read and Rapped Speech
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1
Bielefeld University, Germany
Speech rhythm in English has been described by postulating that stress beats are constrained to occur at fixed relative phases. In other words, subunits are nested within larger units non-randomly. Similar findings have been found in poetic speech (Wagner, 2012), which is often regarded as more than regular non-poetic speech. The same could be expected from rapped speech in comparison to read speech.
Using the speech cycling method introduced by Cummins & Port (1998), we examine rhythmic patterns of rap and speech. In this experimental task, subjects repeat a phrase (such as bet for a game) in time along with a sequence of high and low beeps such that the beginning of the phrase (bet) is aligned with the high beep and the last word (game) is aligned with the low beep. The focus is on relative timing of stress beats. Two speech cycling experiments have been conducted using different conditions. In one condition, subjects read short phrases along with the stimulus. In the other condition, the same subjects were instructed to rap identical phrases.
Preliminary results reproduce preferences for similar phase values to those observed by Cummins & Port (1998). Additionally, only limited evidence has been found that different constraints operate in read and rapped speech. Therefore, the original experiment by Cummins & Port (1998) is likely to have investigated what is in fact a case of rapped rather than read speech.
References
Cummins, Fred & Port, Robert. F. (1998). Rhythmic constraints on stress timing in English. Journal of Phonetics 26.145-171.
Wagner, Petra (2012). Meter specific timing and prominence in German poetry and prose. In: Prosodies – Context, Function, Communication. Niebuhr, O. (Ed). Berlin/New York: de Gruyter. 219 - 236.
Keywords:
Rhythm,
Speech,
Rap music,
Flows of Rap,
Rhythm of speech
Conference:
14th Rhythm Production and Perception Workshop Birmingham 11th - 13th September 2013, Birmingham, United Kingdom, 11 Sep - 13 Sep, 2013.
Presentation Type:
Oral Presentation
Topic:
Rhythm Production and Perception
Citation:
Anbari
SA,
Wlodarczak
M and
Wagner
P
(2013). Rhythmic Constraints on Read and Rapped Speech.
Conference Abstract:
14th Rhythm Production and Perception Workshop Birmingham 11th - 13th September 2013.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2013.214.00037
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Received:
07 Jul 2013;
Published Online:
24 Sep 2013.
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Correspondence:
Mr. Said A Anbari, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany, abir.anbari@gmail.com