Acoustic Analysis of Vowels in Kashmiri-Speaking Adolescents with Down Syndrome

Younis Rashid Dar, Afreen Nazir, Musavir Ahmed

Abstract


The study examined the acoustic characteristics of four corner vowels /i, a, ɔ, u/ in CVC contexts produced by Kashmiri adolescent speakers with Down syndrome. The acoustic variables that were investigated include First formant (F1), Formant second (F2), and Vowel space area. Participants were ten Down syndrome adolescents in the age range of 13 to 18 years, and ten age and gender-matched controls. The results showed significant variability in F2 parameter for vowels /i/, /a/ and /ɔ/ and no difference in /u/ vowel was found between Down syndrome and Control group. The study also found no significant differences in F1 parameter of all the four vowels between the two groups. The smaller Vowel space area based on mean formant (F1& F2) values was also observed in Down syndrome. 


Keywords


Down Syndrome, Acoustic Analysis, Formants, Vowel Space

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References


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