Rene Carre
Samir Chennouk
ENST---Telecom Paris, Unite Associee au CNRS, 46 rue Barrault, 75634 Paris Cedex 13, France
Mohamed Mrayati
Inst. Superieur des Sci. Appliquees et de Technol., BP 7028, Damascus, Syria
Male vowel--consonant--vowel formant transitions are analyzed using cepstral techniques. The first three formants are detected and represented as trajectories in the F1--F2 and F1--F3 planes. Distinctive formant trajectories are clearly revealed, exhibiting specific trajectory angles at the onset during the initial vowel, during the consonant production, and at the offset during the target vowel. Formant stability are also studied. These trajectories are interpreted using a distinctive region model of the vocal tract [Mrayati et al., Speech Commun. 7, 257--286 (1988)]. Such a model is controlled by means of a very simple command strategy: transversal constrictions at specific places. Trajectories predicted by the model correspond well with those observed on natural speech. Explanations on the articulatory timing control can be proposed. Simple synthesis-by-rule using a distinctive region model which inherently incorporates coarticulation effects is deduced.