Reading and spontaneous speaking fundamental frequency of young Arabic men for Arabic and English languages: a comparative study

Speaking fundamental frequency (SFF), the average fundamental frequency (lowest frequency of a complex periodic sound) measured over the speaking time of a vocal or speech task, is a basic acoustic measure in clinical evaluation and treatment of voice disorders. Currently, there are few data on acoustic characteristics of different sociolinguistic groups, and no published data on the fundamental frequency characteristics of Arabic speech. The purpose of this study was to obtain preliminary data on the SFF characteristics of a group of normal speaking, young Arabic men. 15 native Arabic men (M age = 23.5 yr., SD=2.5) as participants received identical experimental treatment. Four speech samples were collected from each one, Arabic reading, Arabic spontaneous speech, English reading, and English spontaneous speech. Speaking samples, analyzed using the Computerized Speech Lab, showed no significant difference for mean SFF between language and type of speech and none for mean SFF between languages. A significant difference in the mean SFF was found between the types of speech. The SFF used during reading was significantly higher than that for spontaneous speech. Also Arabic men had higher SFF values than those previously reported for young men in other linguistic groups. SFF then might differ among linguistic, dialectical, and social groups and such data may provide clinicians information useful in evaluation and management of voice.