Voice quality differences [1] can convey different attitudes and emotions [2], and speakers of different languages show different sensitivities, e.g., [3, 4, 5]. Also, ethnophonetics, the study of voices as they occur in a particular cultural/social context, has revealed that the context plays an important role in determining cultural preferences for certain voice qualities (e.g. [6, 7]). The current study hones in on the production aspect of various voice qualities, and how speakers of different languages, specifically, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, and Brazilian Portuguese speakers, perceive these differences in terms of the concepts of emotional arousal (excited vs. calm) and valence (positive vs. negative). The results suggest both similarities and differences among the three language groups. Generally, all groups rate voices as excited given those voices with low OQ (not breathy). However, valence judgments vary among the groups. Japanese and Mandarin Chinese listeners prefer high pitched, non-breathy sounds, while Brazilian Portuguese listeners prefer low pitched, breathy voices.
Cite as: Erickson, D., Kawahara, S., Rilliard, A., Hayashi, R., Sadanobu, T., Li, Y., Daikuhara, H., Moraes, J.d., Obert, K. (2020) Cross cultural differences in arousal and valence perceptions of voice quality. Proc. Speech Prosody 2020, 720-724, doi: 10.21437/SpeechProsody.2020-147
@inproceedings{erickson20b_speechprosody,
author={Donna Erickson and Shigeto Kawahara and Albert Rilliard and Ryoko Hayashi and Toshiyuki Sadanobu and Yongwei Li and Hayato Daikuhara and João de Moraes and Kerrie Obert},
title={{Cross cultural differences in arousal and valence perceptions of voice quality}},
year=2020,
booktitle={Proc. Speech Prosody 2020},
pages={720--724},
doi={10.21437/SpeechProsody.2020-147}
}