A Corpus-Based Exploration of the Functions of Disaligned Pitch Peaks in American English Dialog

Nigel G. Ward

Speech Prosody 2018

Abstract: The exact positioning of pitch peaks often has communicative significance, but the meanings and functions this conveys have never been systematically studied. This paper reports an exploration of one basic aspect of this in one language. The phenomenon is that of ``disaligned pitch peaks,'' that is, peaks which, contrary to the usual tendency, are not aligned with a strong energy peak. The language is American English as used in naturally-occurring two-person interactions. To find examples, I developed a model to automatically estimate the extent to which a speech signal exhibits a strong pitch peak that is not aligned with an energy peak. Examination of examples revealed mmany pragmatic functions associated with disaligned pitch peaks, including suggesting, grounding, implying, and expressing appreciation, most of which have not been previously noted.

Full Paper (pdf)

See also Late Pitch Peak and its Functions, Chapter 6 of Prosodic Patterns in English Conversation.

Audio Illustrations

1. Questions
   • yeah^●? (social00@0:53)
   • oh^●, is, do you play Halo too^○? (social04@6:37)
   • how'd^● your parents get to Ohi^○o then? (social05@8:09)
2. Grounding
   • um^○, I'm ^○a trans^○fer stu^●dent, from EPCC^● (social04@0:19)
   • the Fire^●boy, can touch the fire (watergirl03@32.8)
3. Partial Agreement
   • yeah^● (social00@0:51)
4. Laughter
   • oh, oh, I thought I was^● going to fall (watergirl05@3:32)
   • I think I'll cut^○ that^● part^○ out (social00@10:19)
5. Suggestions
   • okay, so now, yeah, so now learn Drone^● Five^● (social09@6:40)
   • I^● learn half the stuff that I do from just messing around on YouTube (social08@5:37)
   • why^● would you do^● five, if you still have one left^○? (social21@2:08)
6. Liking
   • I think she dresses so cute^● (social21@7:43)
   • I like^● her style (social21@7:40)
   • well^●, honest^○ly, when I had my last job, with tu^●toring, I loved^● teaching; I^○ love helping kids (social21@9:48)
7. Implication
   • it's still^● a class (social00@2:19)
8. Speculation
   • if I fin^○ish my^○ classes this sum^○mer, I feel wrong^● graduating in May (social21@2:37)
   • oh, yeah, I was won^●dering if, if I would like kill you or something (watergirl01@2:20)
9. Disprefered Response
   • I dun^○no, I per^●sonally feel that, uh, uh, if the Japanese cars are better and Americans buy^○ them, you know (switchboard 4347@1:35, audio not releasable)
10. Mixed Feelings
    • I don't know if I want to work^● for a little bit, and then go back for my Masters (social21@4:32)
11. Hopes and Wishes
12. Correcting a Misconception
13. Starting a List
14. Seeking Confirmation
15. Seeking Feedback
16. Reported Speech
17. Offering or Inviting
18. Requesting
19. Distress
    • oh, no^●! I'm so^○ scared! (watergirl03@2:51)
20. Telling a Story
    • well^●, okay, so I guess that's a story (social05@5:38)
    • Did you ever^○ see that movie Fern^○gully^○? I think this tree^● was probably twice that size (social 05@7:38)
    • I'll tell^● you this right now: air^○bags hurt. (social 05@7:09)

A sarcastic use:

• I love^● ethics (social21@7:40)