Phonetic Realization of Focus with No On-focus Pitch Range Expansion in Turkish

This study investigates what acoustic parameters are relevant in terms of production and perception of focus in Turkish. Results from acoustic analyses shows that speakers do not expand on-focus pitch range but duration and intensity changed as a function of focus. Post-focus pitch is lowered in initial focus, but medial focus did not differ from neutral focus in any of the acoustic parameters. Listeners identified initial focus correctly with the highest rate and this shows the importance of post focus compression (PFC) in correct identification of focus.