Contrastes e contrastes encobertos na produção da fala de crianças

TEMA: análise acústica da fala. OBJETIVO: analisar acusticamente as substituições envolvendo o contraste entre /t/ e /k/ na fala de crianças em aquisição típica e desviante do contraste acima referido, a fim de identificar e quantificar a existência de contrastes encobertos. MÉTODO: foi elaborado um experimento de produção de fala que envolveu a repetição de palavras, que combinavam /t/ e /k/ com /a/ e /u/ na posição acentuada, por 9 crianças divididas em três grupos: crianças em processo de aquisição do contraste investigado (G1); crianças com transtorno fonológico (G2) e crianças com produções típicas (G3). Com o uso do software Praat, as produções foram editadas e analisadas de acordo com os seguintes parâmetros acústicos: características espectrais do burst; transição CV e características temporais. Os testes estatísticos utilizados foram ANOVA de Friedman e Manova. A significância estatística adotada foi menor que 0,05. RESULTADOS: tanto nas produções das crianças do G2 quanto nas produções das crianças do G1, detectamos, em grande medida (80% e 57,4%, respectivamente), a presença de contrastes encobertos nos erros de substituição das oclusivas investigadas. Adicionalmente, a análise acústica revelou diferenças em como as crianças utilizam as pistas fonético-acústicas para marcarem a distinção entre /t/ e /k/. CONCLUSÃO: muitas das substituições presentes da produção de fala de crianças em processo de aquisição típico e desviante tratam-se na verdade de contrastes fônicos encobertos. Além disso, o uso da análise acústica permitiu a detecção de diferenças sutis da produção da fala das crianças.

Estabelecimento do contraste entre as fricativas por crianças com transtorno fonológico: manipulação de pistas acústicas

The present study focuses on the presence of covert contrasts in the speech of children with a phonological disorder. The hypothesis is that children with phonological disorders manipulate secondary acoustic cues in an attempt to distinguish the phonological contrasts. We used five audio recordings of the speech of five children with speech disorders, between four and five years of age, who showed the so-called “phonic substitution” involving the sound group of the fricatives. The data were edited and analyzed using the software PRAAT. A phonetic transcription of the first repetition of each child was performed by three evaluators, reaching a 66% agreement level. After the transcription, we carried out a contrastive phonological analysis of the production of the five children and, finally, an acoustic analysis of all the “substitutions”, based on six parameters. We discovered the existence of covert contrasts in the productions auditorily regarded as homophones by the evaluators, representing a total of 54% of total substitutions identified through an impressionistic approach by the evaluators. Children with phonological disorders are seen to rely on secondary acoustic cues in an attempt to distinguish fricative phonemes. The data obtained in this study allow us to reflect on the importance of considering the phonetic detail within the phonological models.

Column connection detail, Kangaroo Point House

Hand-made spotted gum column on edge of outdoor room.

Gutter detail, Collaborative Workshop, University of Queensland, St Lucia

Open-ended folded sheet metal gutter.

Balustrade detail, Brannigan House, St Lucia, Brisbane

Rigging screw tensioners to balustrade wire, central deck (North-East elevation).

Detail of roofing and wall, Cotton Tree Housing Estate, Maroochydore

This pilot project at Cotton Tree, Maroochydore, on two adjacent, linear parcels of land has one of the properties privately owned while the other is owned by the public housing authority. Both owners commissioned Lindsay and Kerry Clare to design housing for their separate needs which enabled the two projects to be governed by a single planning and design strategy. This entailed the realignment of the dividing boundary to form two approximately square blocks which made possible the retention of an important stand of mature paperbark trees and gave each block a more useful street frontage. The scheme provides seven two-bedroom units and one single-bedroom unit as the private component, with six single-bedroom units, three two-bedroom units and two three-bedroom units forming the public housing. The dwellings are deployed as an interlaced mat of freestanding blocks, car courts, courtyard gardens, patios and decks. The key distinction between the public and private parts of the scheme is the pooling of the car parking spaces in the public housing to create a shared courtyard. The housing climbs to three storeys on its southern edge and falls to a single storey on the north-western corner. This enables all units and the principal private outdoor spaces to have a northern orientation. The interiors of both the public and private units are skilfully arranged to take full advantage of views, light and breeze.

Pole detail, PNG Coffee Industry Board Office and Warehouse, Goroka

Detailed view of poles used in construction. Poles were spliced in their length with steel bars (like 3 pin plugs) and these joints were restrained from splitting with steel strap belts. The belts were tightened with opposing wedges like the old Greene & Greene wrought iron detail.

Brick detail, Agriculture and Entomology Building, Brisbane

Detailed view of venting in brick work. Bricks used were commons, with prevalent dark blue iron staining.

Door and window detail, Agriculture and Entomology Building, Brisbane

View to side entrance opening and window detail with sliding timber shutters above, from exterior.

Cladding detail, Mooloomba House, Point Lookout, North Stradbroke Island

Detail view of cladding to upper level dining studio.

Corner connection detail, Sunshine Coast University Library, Maroochydore

Detailed external view of north-west elevation corner.

Wall detail, Powell House, Noosa River, Sunshine Coast

External wall and alcove.