The hypothesis: The supra-segments cannot be cut off.
Sed contra: Yes, it can be cut off by using musical notation.
Existing literature on gauging
intonational contours in Linguistics, mainly depends on the three parameters
(High, Mid, Low) to be determined by the trained ears of the professional
Phoneticians. Though there are software and machines for analyzing sound waves,
those software do not provide us with a generalized picture of intonational
contours with varied and specific reference points with calculated intervals.
Parameters like “High, Mid, Low” (as they are used in linguistics) as reference
points for intonational contours do not tell us anything as none exactly knows
the proportionate distances or intervals among such naïve parameters.
Therefore, I thought to take cue from music, where there is a rich system of
archewriting or making notation of musical pieces.
This paper deals with the differAnce (a
la Derrida) between so-called normal speech and music. The author, for the time
being, is deferring the difference between speech and music. Though the melody
of music is “heavy” and the melody of speaking is “light”, still both of them
follows the same algorithm — the algorithm of do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti and do
2, i.e., the ad hoc hypothesis is that, any normal speech falls within the
octave that has a definite range. If the lower DO 1 is x, upper Sa DO 2 is 2x
and this x to 2x octave range is considered as y, the intermediate noticeable
frequency-points, as per Indian musical system, are 22. Therefore, our point of
concentration is Y/22. In a scale y that has a range of x to 2x (i.e., any
points on y, say yp, satisfies the relation x yp 2x). And
the interval between two notes follows logarithmic pattern as the gap between
two notes (say yp and yq ) is 2 multiplied by root 22
(please note the human love for binary-figure in the formulated
representation). Thus, this hypothesis leads to an activity — i.e., making
notation of “normal” speech to understand the intonation pattern of speaking
vis a vismusicking.The ad hoc hypothesis
is that any normal human speech falls within the octave that has a definite
range. The speaking range must fall
within the Sa (Do1) and upper Sa (Do2). If the lower Sa (DO) is x, upper Sa
(DO2) must be 2x and this x to 2x octave range is considered as y, the
intermediate notable frequency-points are 22. It is proposed here to follow the
conventional pattern of musical notes as reference-points for gauging human
intonational pattern. The other variables considered here are: metrics, speed,
rhythm, moods/speech acts and context or pre-text.
From the perspective of cognitive
psychology or Cartesian bio-lingustics, the formal
algorithm of proportionate distances among different notes or the musicking
algorithm, Npm = n.2m (12Ö2)p, is a matter
of cognitive ability or a genetic
endowment—a competence for performing speech act. However, depending on the
outside-sociality, it is either
erased or proliferated, either repressed or rejected (in a form of foreclosure)
or formalized (as in school or army). Therefore, a person or a society may or
may not be harmony-impaired –it depends on the structure of the society that
en-/discourages musicking. The crippling
of creativity hypothesis is proposed in connection with empty linguistic
organism and human malleability. (cf. CHOMSKIAN
LINGUISTIC CREATIVITY, CRIPPLED CREATIVITY AND PSI-PROPERTIES)
Application:
Computer Science: Text to
Speech Software development; Simulation of intonated speech;
Speech Pathology:
Rehabilitation of hearing impaired persons through tactile sensation—tangible
intelligibility of speech.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Digiart: Akhar Bandyopadhyay
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