Example sentences
The five series of test syllable environments arising from the
design of the sentence materials (see DESIGN page) are
illustrated here. For both types of keywords, right-headed and left-headed, the sentences for
one keyword are shown in each series. The right-headed example keyword is
mend and the left-headed example keyword is mace. The
full set of sentences (see SENTENCES page) comprise these sentences
and analogous sentences for the other seven right-headed keywords and
the other seven left-headed keywords, as listed in the design of the
sentence materials (see DESIGN page).
As the examples below illustrate, the first, shortest sentence is
the same in the utterance-medial Keyword Series A, B and C. Likewise,
the first, shortest sentence is the same in the utterance-edge Keyword
Series D and E. These common sentences were not recorded separately
for each keyword series.
To control the placement of accent, speakers were asked to emphasise
certain words, indicated by capital letters, in each sentence. There
were two accent conditions for each sentence, as shown in the tables
for each keyword series. In the accented condition, the keyword was in
capitals, and thus was emphasised by the speakers. In the unaccented
condition, other words earlier and/or later in the sentence were in
capitals, and thus were emphasised by the speakers; in the unaccented
condition, the keyword was not emphasised.
Each example sentence is
linked to a .wav file of that sentence as uttered by one of the
six speakers.
- SERIES A: utterance-medial;
fixed utterance length; variable keyword length.
- SERIES B: utterance-medial;
variable utterance length; fixed keyword length.
- SERIES C: utterance-medial;
variable utterance length; variable keyword length.
- SERIES D: utterance-edge;
variable utterance length; fixed keyword length.
- SERIES E: utterance-edge;
variable utterance length; variable keyword length.
Keyword Series A example sentences: utterance-medial;
fixed utterance length; variable word length.
Keyword Series B example sentences: utterance-medial;
variable utterance length; fixed word length.
Keyword Series C example sentences: utterance-medial;
variable utterance length; variable word length.
Keyword Series D example sentences: utterance-edge;
variable utterance length; fixed word length.
Keyword Series E example sentences: utterance-edge;
variable utterance length; variable word length.