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Tone variation in Tswana-speaking individuals : the effect of voice disorders

Dissertation (MCommunication Pathology)--University of Pretoria, 2016.

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Other Authors: Van der Merwe, Anita
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2016
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Van der Merwe, Anita
author_browse Van der Merwe, Anita
author_facet Van der Merwe, Anita
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2016 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Dissertation (MCommunication Pathology)--University of Pretoria, 2016.
format Thesis
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:37:55.807Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2016
publishDateRange 2016
publishDateSort 2016
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
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source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/55828 Tone variation in Tswana-speaking individuals : the effect of voice disorders Van der Merwe, Anita Van der Linde, Jeannie Le Roux, Mia Jones, Gail L. Tone Tswana Voice disorder Minimal pair Pitch UCTD Dissertation (MCommunication Pathology)--University of Pretoria, 2016. Introduction: Bantu languages, such as Tswana, are tone languages which use syllabic tone variation to convey word meaning. Vocal pathologies may affect vocal fold control that is required to vary syllabic tone. A person with a voice disorder could therefore be misperceived due to inability to effectively vary tone. Aim: To develop and validate a Tswana minimal pair word list for the assessment of tone production and tone perception, and to determine whether a voice disorder in a first language (L1) Tswana-speaker influences the accuracy of tone perception by typical L1 Tswana-speaking individuals. Method: A word list of 45 Tswana words, with accompanying pictures and sentences were compiled and validated by means of three pilot studies. Based on the results of the pilot studies the word list was narrowed down to 16 minimal pairs. Data were collected from a control group (9 typical L1 Tswana-speaking individuals) and an experimental group (5 L1 Tswana-speaking individuals with voice disorders). Participants from both groups produced the target words and a recording of each word production was judged by a listeners’ panel of five typical L1 Tswana-speaking judges. Results: Typical L1 Tswana listeners did not achieve 100% accuracy in a tone perception task. The mean scores of the control speakers ranged between 71% and 98%. The experimental group participants’ scores were lower although not significantly lower (p=0.109), ranging between 61% and 90%, compared to the scores of the control group. The experimental participant, who obtained the lowest mean score (61%), presented with a severe primary organic voice disorder. Conclusion: Not all typical speakers were able to produce word-level tone variation that makes word identification possible in a single-word context. Although no significant difference was found between the results of the two groups, indications are that a voice disorder could negatively impact syllabic tone variation. Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology MCommunication Pathology Unrestricted 2016-07-14T07:08:24Z 2016-07-14T07:08:24Z 2016-08-31 2016 Dissertation Jones, GL 2016, Tone variation in Tswana-speaking individuals : the effect of voice disorders, MCommunication Pathology Dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/55828> S2016 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/55828 en © 2016 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Tone
Tswana
Voice disorder
Minimal pair
Pitch
UCTD
Tone variation in Tswana-speaking individuals : the effect of voice disorders
title Tone variation in Tswana-speaking individuals : the effect of voice disorders
title_full Tone variation in Tswana-speaking individuals : the effect of voice disorders
title_fullStr Tone variation in Tswana-speaking individuals : the effect of voice disorders
title_full_unstemmed Tone variation in Tswana-speaking individuals : the effect of voice disorders
title_short Tone variation in Tswana-speaking individuals : the effect of voice disorders
title_sort tone variation in tswana speaking individuals the effect of voice disorders
topic Tone
Tswana
Voice disorder
Minimal pair
Pitch
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/55828