Subject: Re: AP in all of us? New evidence from speech research From: Martin Braun <nombraun(at)POST.NETLINK.SE> Date: Wed, 9 May 2001 22:04:02 +0200Thanks, Tom. We should keep in mind, however, that pitch control is not necessary for speech. We can also understand speech that has no pitch variation or speech with uncontrolled pitch variation. Can congenitally deaf persons learn pitch control of their speech? Is there any reliable information on this? Martin Tom Brennan wrote: > Martin, if that was true, a totally deaf person conld never learn any useful > speech which is simply not the case. > On Wed, 9 May 2001, Martin Braun wrote: > > > Rebecca, > > > > wouldn't you think that any pitch memory in the motor systems of the voice, > > if it does exist, must have been mediated via the auditory system? > > > > Martin > > > > > > > > > In the days when there used to be more "jingle" type ads on TV, > > > if you asked a kid to sing the commercial, they'd typically sing > > > it on or very close to the original pitch the ad was in. I recall > > > some years ago reading or hearing about a study where the popular > > > acapella baseball songs (ones not prompted by the stadium organist) > > > were surveyed and folks around the US sang those at the same pitch > > > as well. > > > > > > My personal theory is that it's a physical memory -- song singing > > > involves the muscles (or whatever they are) in the throat/larynx > > > and there's probably some feedback that provides a form of pitch > > > memory as in "that feels like the comfortable singing pitch I > > > know for that song." Anyone know of any work on that angle? > > > > > > Rebecca Mercuri, Ph.D.