VOICE TIMBRE: QUANTIFYING THE PHONOSTYLISTIC VARIATION

Abstract

Timbre is the perceptual correlate of the sound spectrum (as, in some ways, the color is the eye’s response of the light spectrum). In the speech stream, timbre involves two basic types of sets of invariant neural properties, since it is what identifies the segments as well as the speakers with their anatomical peculiarities and individual-specific articulatory habits. When it comes to evaluate the speakers’ styles of pronunciation or their physical and mental tone, in contrast with prosodic parameters, the auditory range (if any) of timbre is insignificant, while the corresponding acoustic variation, as we will show in this paper, seems to be relevant in an interesting and easily understandable manner.