ISCA Archive Interspeech 2007
ISCA Archive Interspeech 2007

Inter-language prosodic style modification experiment using word impression vector for communicative speech generation

Ke Li, Yoko Greenberg, Yoshinori Sagisaka

To confirm the language independency of a communicative prosody generation from input word impression vector, we synthesized communicative Mandarin speech using prosodic characteristics of communicative Japanese speech. The fundamental frequency and duration characteristics of one-word "n" utterances of Japanese were copied to Mandarin through input word attributes. From the subjective impressions of an input word, a three-dimensional vector was calculated through Multi-Dimensional Scaling analysis. Three dimensions reflecting impressions of confident-doubtful, allowable-unacceptable and positive-negative correspond to systematic prosodic variations; F0 height, F0 dynamics and duration. Subjective evaluation of synthesized speech showed the possibility of communicative prosody generation from input word impression vector language independently.