http://hdl.handle.net/2262/166 CLCS (Scholarly Publications) Wed, 22 May 2013 15:20:27 GMT 2013-05-22T15:20:27Z http://hdl.handle.net/2262/64118 Title: PROCESSING YUP! AND OTHER SHORT UTTERANCES IN INTERACTIVE SPEECH Author: CAMPBELL, NICK Editor: IEEE Abstract: The detection of short utterances in conversational or interactive speech is essential to the proper processing of meaning in spoken interaction. Short, simple utterances are extremely common, and because of their highly variable prosody, carry many different forms of subtle interpersonal information. This paper reports on our approach to this prob- lem and describes some corpora we are working with as well as the results of an analysis showing overlapping segments to be significantly different in their prosodic characteristics. Description: PUBLISHED Sun, 22 May 2011 23:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2262/64118 2011-05-22T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2262/63994 Title: Prosodic Synchrony in Co-operative Task-based Dialogues: A Measure of Agreement and Disagreement Author: VAUGHAN, BRIAN Abstract: Prosodic synchrony has been reported to be an important as- pect of conversational dyads. In this paper, synchrony in four different dyads is examined. A Time Aligned Moving Aver- age (TAMA) procedure is used to temporally align the prosodic measurements for the detection of synchrony in the dyads. An overlapping windowed correlation procedure is used to measure synchrony for six different prosodic parameters: mean pitch, pitch range, mean intensity, intensity range, centre of gravity and spectral slope. This study shows that a windowed corre- lation procedure better captures the dynamic nature of speech synchrony than a single measure across a whole conversation. This method also enables points of concurrent synchrony be- tween prosodic parameters to be detected. Moreover, the syn- chrony of the prosodic parameters was considered in relation to levels of agreement and disagreement in the four dyads. Re- sults show only one parameter in one dyad to be significantly correlated with agreement/disagreement. Description: PUBLISHED Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2262/63994 2011-07-31T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2262/63994 Title: Prosodic Synchrony in Co-operative Task-based Dialogues: A Measure of Agreement and Disagreement Author: VAUGHAN, BRIAN Abstract: Prosodic synchrony has been reported to be an important as- pect of conversational dyads. In this paper, synchrony in four different dyads is examined. A Time Aligned Moving Aver- age (TAMA) procedure is used to temporally align the prosodic measurements for the detection of synchrony in the dyads. An overlapping windowed correlation procedure is used to measure synchrony for six different prosodic parameters: mean pitch, pitch range, mean intensity, intensity range, centre of gravity and spectral slope. This study shows that a windowed corre- lation procedure better captures the dynamic nature of speech synchrony than a single measure across a whole conversation. This method also enables points of concurrent synchrony be- tween prosodic parameters to be detected. Moreover, the syn- chrony of the prosodic parameters was considered in relation to levels of agreement and disagreement in the four dyads. Re- sults show only one parameter in one dyad to be significantly correlated with agreement/disagreement. Description: PUBLISHED Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2262/63994 2011-07-31T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2262/63710 Title: Gender in Irish between continuity and change Author: FRENDA, ALESSIO SALVATORE Abstract: The gender system of Irish appears to have undergone a process of simplification: traditionally depending on both formal and semantic assignment rules, agreement in contemporary spoken Irish is still rather conservative within the noun phrase, but almost exclusively semantic anaphorically. Language contact and the resulting obsolescence seem to have had some influence on these developments: for instance, structures that have a functional counterpart in English seem more resilient than others. But language-internal developments, particularly the phonetic erosion and loss of word-final syllables, may have played an important role, too: similar developments have been observed in non-obsolescent languages like Dutch and French. In this article, I illustrate some specific aspects of the Irish situation with examples drawn from a corpus of spoken Irish and frame the simplification process in terms of structural convergence in the context of language contact. Description: PUBLISHED Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2262/63710 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2262/61730 Title: On the use of multimodal cues for the prediction of involvement in spontaneous conversation Author: OERTEL GEN BIERBACH, CATHARINE Abstract: Quantifying the degree of involvement of a group of participants in a conversation is a task which humans accomplish every day, but it is something that, as of yet, machines are unable to do. In this study we first investigate the correlation between visual cues (gaze and blinking rate) and involvement. We then test the suitability of prosodic cues (acoustic model) as well as gaze and blinking (visual model) for the prediction of the degree of involvement by using a support vector machine (SVM). We also test whether the fusion of the acoustic and the visual model im- proves the prediction. We show that we are able to predict three classes of involvement with an reduction of error rate of 0.30 (accuracy =0.68). Description: PUBLISHED; Florence, Italy Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2262/61730 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2262/56369 Title: Language learner autonomy and the European Language Portfolio: two L2 English examples Author: LITTLE, DAVID GEORGE Abstract: This article argues that the Council of Europe's European Language Portfolio is capable of supporting the implementation of language learner autonomy on a large scale. It begins by explaining what the author understands by ‘language learner autonomy’, then introduces the European Language Portfolio and explains how it can stimulate reflective learning in which goal setting and self-assessment play a central role. It concludes by giving two practical examples that involve the learning of L2 English in Ireland, in one case by adult immigrants with refugee status and in the other by newcomer pupils in primary schools. Description: PUBLISHED Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2262/56369 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2262/50586 Title: Arrah, like, you know: The dynamics of discourse marking in ICE-Ireland. Author: KALLEN, JEFFREY LEO Abstract: For over 400 years, dramatists, novelists, and other writers seeking to depict Irish characters have relied in part on words and phrases taken to be indexical of Irishness when representing the conversational functions now associated with the term 'discourse marker'. In keeping with the general trend in the lexical development of Irish English, many of the terms which are commonly cited are etymologically derived from Irish and carry over similar discourse functions. Description: PUBLISHED Sun, 01 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2262/50586 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2262/41157 Title: Language learner autonomy: Myth, magic or miracle? Author: CARSON, LORNA ELIZABETH Abstract: The shift in emphasis away from the processes involved in teaching languages towards the processes involved in learning languages in formal educational contexts has brought about one of the most remarkable changes to the language classroom since the communicative approach. The elaboration of the role ‘learner’ in this paradigm frequently involves discussion of autonomy in language learning, although perhaps not in so many words. A range of terms are employed in the discourse as practitioners and researchers attempt to depict and unpick the involvement and responsibility of the learner in learning, including, inter alia, agency (van Lier, 2010; Swain, 2007), selfdetermination (Deci & Ryan, 2000; see also Sisamakis, 2006 and Carson, 2007 with reference to foreign language learning), self-regulation (Pintrich & de Groot, 1990), learner-centredness (Tudor, 1996), learner engagement (van Lier, 1996; Ohta, 2001; Corno & Mandinach, 1983) and learner empowerment (Frymier et al., 1996; Schrodt et al., 2008). The first section of this paper defines the notion of language learner autonomy, and review some key concepts – and misconceptions – related to this topic; the second section presents a case study of a university language programme designed to foster language learner autonomy. Description: PUBLISHED Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2262/41157 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2262/39517 Title: An Audio-Visual Approach to Measuring Discourse Synchrony in Multimodal Conversation Data Author: CAMPBELL, NICK Editor: ISCA Abstract: This paper describes recent work on the automatic extraction of visual and audio parameters relating to the detection of synchrony in discourse, and to the modelling of active listening for advanced speech technology. It reports findings based on image processing that reliably identify the strong entrainment between members of a group conversation, and describes techniques for the extraction and analysis of such information. Description: PUBLISHED Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2262/39517 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2262/39516 Title: Language Resources of the Future (a speech-based position paper) Author: CAMPBELL, NICK Abstract: Current speech technology is well capable of processing the mappings between speech and text, but the challenge at the current time is to model the information flow in interactive speech, where propositional content is conveyed along with discourse controls to simultaneously signal the speakerʼs cognitive attentional, intentional, and emotional states. Current applications of speech technology include general information services, customercare, robotics, games, and interactive media content, often making use of graphical interfaces which include an avatar, embodied conversational agent, or talking heads. Accordingly, the corpora that need to be collected for future speech technology research must be multi-modal, multicultural, and multilingual, incorporating material for the research of interpersonal communication strategies, and speech-related bodily movements, as well as the characteristics of interactive speech itself. Description: PUBLISHED Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2262/39516 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z