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Procedure: Presentation of sentences for recording


Each group of sentences was converted into a Postscript file, with one sentence in the centre of each page. These files were displayed on a Sun workstation monitor. Each subject took part in three recording sessions, reading through all of the four or six groups of sentences for one block in each session. The order of presentation of the blocks was counterbalanced between subjects.

Before the first recording, subjects were given an instruction sheet telling them to read aloud the sentences as they appeared on the screen, and to emphasise the words in capital letters, speaking naturally and without pausing mid-sentence. Subjects were told to re-read a sentence if they made a mistake or did not place the emphasis in the correct place. They were told they could control the rate of presentation of the sentences, pressing the space bar on the computer keyboard to bring up the next. Before each session they were given a short practice, using a random sample of ten sentences from the block of sentences to be read.

During a recording session, subjects read the two or three groups of sentences from the first randomised set of sentences from a block, followed by the two or three groups from the second randomised set, pausing if they wished between groups of sentences. Subjects were not made aware of any systematic grouping or repetition of sentences. Each recording session lasted around half an hour and subjects attended three sessions, thereby reading all of the experimental sentences twice.

Subjects were asked to repeat sentences during the recording if:



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