---
abstract: |-
Linguists have traditionally classified languages into three
rhythm classes, namely stress-timed, syllable-timed and mora-timed languages. However, this classification has remained controversial for various reasons: the search for reliable acoustic cues to the different rhythm types has long remained elusive; some languages are claimed to belong to none of the three classes; and few perceptual studies has bolstered the notion. We have previously proposed an acoustic/phonetic model of the different types of linguistic rhythm, and of their categorisation as such by
listeners. Here, we present perceptual experiments that directly test the notion of rhythm classes, our model's predictions, and the question of intermediate languages. Language discrimination experiments were run using a speech resynthesis technique to ensure that only rhythmic cues were available to the subjects. Languages investigated were English, Dutch, Spanish, Catalan and Polish. Our results are consistent with the idea that English and Dutch are stress-timed, Spanish and Catalan are syllable-timed,
but Polish seems to be different from any other language studied and thus may constitute a new rhythm class. We propose that perceptual studies tapping the ability to discriminate languages' rhythm are the proper way to generate more empirical data relevant to rhythm typology.
altloc:
- http://www.lscp.net/persons/ramus/ICPhS03.pdf
chapter: ~
commentary: ~
commref: ~
confdates: 3-9/08/03
conference: 15th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences
confloc: Barcelona
contact_email: ~
creators_id: []
creators_name:
- family: Ramus
given: Franck
honourific: ''
lineage: ''
- family: Dupoux
given: Emmanuel
honourific: ''
lineage: ''
- family: Mehler
given: Jacques
honourific: ''
lineage: ''
date: 2003
date_type: published
datestamp: 2003-07-23
department: ~
dir: disk0/00/00/30/79
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eprint_status: archive
eprintid: 3079
fileinfo: /style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png;/3079/1/ICPhS03.pdf
full_text_status: public
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ispublished: pub
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keywords: 'speech rhythm, prosody, language discrimination, speech perception, stress-timing, syllable-timing'
lastmod: 2011-03-11 08:55:19
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longitude: ~
metadata_visibility: show
note: ~
number: ~
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pubdom: FALSE
publication: ~
publisher: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
refereed: FALSE
referencetext: ~
relation_type: []
relation_uri: []
reportno: ~
rev_number: 12
series: ~
source: ~
status_changed: 2007-09-12 16:48:17
subjects:
- psy-ling
- cog-psy
- percep-cog-psy
- ling-phono
succeeds: 871
suggestions: ~
sword_depositor: ~
sword_slug: ~
thesistype: ~
title: 'The psychological reality of rhythm classes: Perceptual studies'
type: confpaper
userid: 431
volume: ~