A comparison is made between the excitation frequency distribution (Dx) plots and other excitation characteristics obtained from readings of short passages of text in six different languages and the excitation properties for the same passages produced on a number of synthesisers. Though frequency range is often a control variable in a synthesiser, some were found to have default settings inappropriate to the language. A number of other distribution properties are discussed including inter-period temporal scatter in natural and synthetic examples. In addition, pause and voicing relations, and basic pitch movement statistics are considered.