ASA 129th Meeting - Washington, DC - 1995 May 30 .. Jun 06

4aSC14. Shifts in fundamental frequency and articulation resulting from intoxication.

G. Allan Alderman

Harry Hollien

Camilo Martin

Gea DeJong

Inst. for Advanced Study of the Commun. Process., Univ. of Florida, 63 Dauer Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611

Two groups of subjects were administered controlled doses of alcohol while breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) measurements were made at regular intervals. They were recorded reading a 30-s passage when they reached preset BrAC windows. Fundamental frequency measurements were calculated and compared for sober (0.00 BrAC) and intoxicated (0.12 BrAC) productions. The number of misarticulations occurring during the readings also were assessed. In the first study, subjects were grouped on the basis of whether they were rated as sounding intoxicated at 0.12 BrAC (ratings were performed by 50 auditors using a 5-pt. scale). Subjects who sounded intoxicated were placed in one group, while those that did not were placed in a second. The first group showed a consistent, but statistically nonsignificant decrease in F0 as a result of intoxication; group 2's F0 changes were not consistent. In addition, the first group showed a higher mean increase in misarticulations than did group 2. The second population was grouped by drinking level (heavy, medium, or light); none showed a statistically significant change in F0. Moreover, misarticulations increased (nonsignificantly) as drinking level increased. The results will be correlated with data from other studies. [Research supported by NIH.]