Acoustic analysis of Minjaee Luri vowels

Abstract

Minjaee is the general name of some dialects of Luri that are known as Khorramabadi, Balageriveie, Silakhori, Boroujerdi, Malayeri, and so on. This study presents the acoustic parameters such as the first formant frequency and second formant frequency of Minjaee Luri monophthongs. As well it aims at studying the effect of gender and syllable (open and close) on these parameters. Finally, it is possible to obtain the vowel space diagram of Khorramabadi and Balageriveie dialects. The acoustic parameters of Minjaee Luri vowels /i/, /ɪ/, /ʏ/, /e/, /ø/, /a/, /ə/, /u/, /o/, /ɑ/, have been studied according to totally 1217 phonetic samples, produced by 18 participants (12 males and 6 females). Phonetic samples were analyzed by using PRAAT and the results were analyzed by SPSS. The study results were reported in two parts of descriptive and analytical statistics. According to the first formant frequency, vowels /a/ and /i/ are the highest and lowest vowels, respectively. Vowel /i/ shows the highest second formant frequency and is the frontest vowel in this dialect. While vowel /a/ in males and vowel /o/ in females are the most back ones. The vowel roundedness was investigated; it reduces the second formant of vowels. Men’s first and second formant frequencies are lower than women’s.

Keywords

• acoustic phonetics
• minjaee luri
• monophthongs
• formant
• frequency