The acoustic analysis of speech: A precursor to better speech performance and perception

Abstract

Speech production and speech analysis require careful study in order to help communication and language study. To do a thorough job and a near error proof analysis requires that authentic approach would be employed. Mere ear perception has been observed to be insufficient, inconsistent and unreliable that a considerably more reliable approach needed to be sought for, hence the introduction of acoustics in speech analysis. This approach has been applauded by many modern linguists, including Ladefoged (1962, 2003); Pickett (1980); Ashby and Maidment (2005); Clark, Yallop and Fletcher (2007), among others. This paper is therefore a contribution to the call for the adoption of the acoustic analysis in the study of speech, an approach that accounts for the titbits in speech using modern computerised machines that identifies and clears all confusions in any individual’s speech. Data for this discussion were collected from relevant scholarly literatures on acoustic analysis of speech. This paper adopts the descriptive approach in the discussion. The acoustic investigation is considered better in this era of digitisation. The paper therefore recommends that acoustic analysis should necessarily be used to authenticate auditory perception and then enhance performance.