Lexical tones in Thai after unilateral brain damage

• Published in: Brain and language 1992-08, Vol.43 (2), p.275-307
• Main Authors: Gandour, Jack, Ponglorpisit, Suvit, Khunadorn, Fuangfa, Dechongkit, Sumalee, Boongird, Prasert, Boonklam, Rachanee, Potisuk, Siripong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aphasia - classification; Aphasia - diagnosis; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Injuries - complications; Brain Injuries - diagnosis; Disorders of higher nervous function. Focal brain diseases. Central vestibular syndrome and deafness. Brain stem syndromes; Functional Laterality; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Phonetics; Speech Acoustics; Speech Discrimination Tests; Speech Disorders - diagnosis; Speech Disorders - etiology; Speech Production Measurement
• ISSN: 0093-934X; 1090-2155
• DOI: 10.1016/0093-934X(92)90131-W

An acoustic perceptual investigation of the five lexical tones of Thai was conducted to evaluate the nature of tonal disruption in patients with unilateral lesions in the left and right hemisphere. Subjects ( n = 48) included 10 young normal adults, 10 old normal adults, 11 right hemisphere nonaphasics, 9 left hemisphere fluent aphasics, and 8 left hemisphere nonfluent aphasics. The five Thai tones (mid, low, falling, high, rising) were produced in isolated monosyllables, presented for tonal identification judgments, and measured for fundamental frequency (F o) and duration. Results of an analysis of variance indicated that left hemisphere nonfluent speakers signaled tonal contrasts at a lower level of proficiency. The extent of their impairment varied depending on severity level of aphasia. When compared to normal speakers, tonal identification for less severe nonfluent aphasics differed more in degree than in kind, and for more severe nonfluent aphasics differed both in kind and in degree. Acoustic analysis revealed that with the exception of one left nonfluent, average F o contours were comparable in shape across speaker groups. Variability in F o production, however, was greater in left nonfluent speakers than in any of the other four groups of speakers. Issues are discussed regarding the extent and nature of tonal disruption in aphasia and hemispheric specialization for tone production.