An acoustic and electroglottographic study of White Hmong phonation.

This study examines the phonation of White Hmong, a language with seven tones (traditionally described as high, mid, low, high‐falling, mid‐rising, low‐falling, and mid‐low), five of which are associated with modal phonation, and two of which are associated with non‐modal phonation; the low‐falling tone is creaky and mid‐low tone is breathy. Thirty‐three speakers were recorded producing words with all seven tones; 12 also made electroglottographic (EGG) recordings. Acoustic measures were cepstral peak prominence (CPP) and harmonic amplitudes H1* and H2*, H1*‐H2*, H1*‐A1*, H1*‐A2*, H1*‐A3*, and H2*‐H4*. EGG measures were closed quotient (CQ) and peak‐closing velocity (PCV). Measures were made automatically using VOICESAUCE and PCQUIRERX. Results showed that none of the measures tested distinguished all three phonation types. However, several measures distinguished two categories: H1 distinguished creaky versus non‐creaky, H1‐H2 distinguished breathy from creaky, and the EGG measures CQ and PCV both disting...