********************************************
foNETiks
A network newsletter for
the International Phonetic Association
and for the Phonetic Sciences
July 2006
*********************************************
Editors:
Linda Shockey, University of Reading, UK
Gerry Docherty, University of Newcastle, UK
Paul Foulkes, University of York, UK
Lisa Lim, Universiteit van Amsterdam, The Netherlands
E-mail address: [log in to unmask]
The foNETiks archive can be found on the WWW at:
<http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/fonetiks.html>
Visit the IPA web page at: <http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk/IPA/ipa.html>
*************************************
APOLOGIES
There was no monthly newsletter
for June, due to circumstances
beyond our control.
*************************************
*************************************
ANNOUNCEMENTS
[new ones marked ++]
[date of first appearance follows]
*************************************
3 July 2006. Colloquium on the Phonetic Bases of Distinctive Features.
Paris, France. <http://ed268.univ-paris3.fr/lpp/phonetic_bases/index.html>
(02/05) [URL corrected, 03/06]
6-8 July 2006. Approches Phonologiques et Prosodiques de la Variation
Sociolinguistique: le Cas du Francais (PFC 2006).
<http://pfc2006.fltr.ucl.ac.be/> (09/05)
15-16 July 2006. 7th SIGdial Workshop on Discourse and Dialogue. Sydney,
Australia. <http://sigdial06.dfki.de/> (04/06)
23 - 26 July 2006. IAFPA 2006 -- Conference of the International
Association of Forensic Phonetics and Acoustics. Goteborg, Sweden.
http://www.ling.gu.se/konferenser/iafpa2006/ (05/06)
28-30 August 2006. ISCA Tutorial and Research Workshop on Experimental
Linguistics. Athens, Greece. <http://www.phil.uoa.gr/~abotinis> (12/05)
(++ amended) 31 August - September 1, 2006. Symposium Mathematics and
Phonology (MathPhonI), Orleans, France.
<http://www.univ-orleans.fr/mapmo/membres/maitine/matphono.html>
[log in to unmask] (02/06)(++ e-mail amended 07/06)
5-6 September 2006. Workshop: Strength Relations in Phonology. Sendai,
Japan. <http://www.tscc.tohoku-gakuin.ac.jp/~rprg> (04/06)
7-9 September 2006. 2nd TIE Conference on the Typology of Tone and
Intonation (TTI). Berlin, Germany.
<http://linguistlist.org/issues/16/16-1263.html>;
http://www.zas.gwz-berlin.de/index.html? events_tie2> (05/05)
8-10 September 2006. Conference on Laboratory Approaches to Spanish
Phonology. Toronto, Canada.
<http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/spanish_portuguese/phonology/> (11/05)
16 September 2006. SAPA 2006. ISCA Tutorial and Research Workshop on
Statistical and Perceptual Audition. (A satellite workshop of Interspeech
2006 - ICSLP.) Pittsburgh, PA, USA. <http://www.sapa2006.org/> (12/05)
17-22 September 2006. Interspeech'2006 - ICSLP (International Conference on
Spoken Language Processing). Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
<http://www.interspeech2006.org/> (12/04)
27-29 September 2006. Conference on Forensic Linguistics, Computational
Linguistics and Law: Law, Language and Society. Adam Mickiewicz University,
Poznan, Poland. <www.lingualegis.amu.edu.pl> (03/06)
8-10 November 2006. IV JTH2006. IV Jornadas en Tecnología del Habla/ 4th
Workshop on Speech Technology. Zaragoza, Spain. <http://jth2006.unizar.es>;
jth2006.unizar.es (04/06)
9-12 November 2006. 48th Annual Convention of the Midwest Modern Language
Association. Chicago, Illinois, USA.
<http://www.uiowa.edu/~mmla/call_2006.html> (03/06)
30 Nov - 1 Dec 2006. IWSLT: 3rd International Workshop on Spoken Language
Translation. Kyoto, Japan. <http://www.slt.atr.jp/IWSLT2006/> (04/06)
6 - 8 December 2006. 11th Australasian International Conference on
Speech Science and Technology (SST2006), Auckland, New Zealand.
http://www.assta.org/ (05/06) [Further details below]
9 - 11 December 2006. 9th Oriental COCOSDA Workshop on Speech
Databases and Assessment. Penang, Malaysia.
http://www.usm.my/cocosda2006/ (05/06) [Further details below]
13-15 December 2006. 7th International Seminar on Speech Production (ISSP).
Ubatuba, Sao Paulo, Brazil. <http://cefala.org/issp2006 > (03/06)
13-16 December 2006. ISCSLP 2006: 5th International symposium on Chinese
Spoken Language Processing. Singapore. <http://www.iscslp2006.org/> (12/05)
++10 January 2007. Word Accents and Tones in Sentence Perspective. Lund,
Sweden. <http://www.ling.lu.se/conference/waatisp/>;
[log in to unmask] (07/06)
22-25 May 2007. NOLISP 2007. An ISCA Tutorial and Research Workshop on NOn
LInear Speech Processing. The Pierre et Marie Curie University, Paris,
France. <http://www.congres.upmc.fr/nolisp2007/>;
<http://www.congres.upmc.fr/nolisp2007/Call%20NOLISP%2007.pdf> (04/06)
6-10 August 2007. 16th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences
(ICPhS2007). Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany.
<http://www.icphs2007.de> (04/06)
*****************************************
CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS
*****************************************
Word Accents and Tones in Sentence Perspective
Date: 10-Jan-2007 - 10-Jan-2007
Location: Lund, Sweden
Contact Person: Merle Horne
Meeting Email: [log in to unmask]
Web Site: http://www.ling.lu.se/conference/waatisp/
Linguistic Field(s): Phonetics; Phonology
Call Deadline: 01-Nov-2006
MEETING DESCRIPTION: The symposium 'Word Accents and Tones in Sentence
Perspective' aims at bringing together researchers in the area of prosody
to focus on and discuss the state of our knowledge as it relates to
phonetic and phonological patterning of word accents and tones when they
are concatenated in utterances.
On the 3rd of January 2007, Professor Gösta Bruce will celebrate his 60th
birthday. To mark the occasion, the Department of Linguistics and Phonetics
will host a one-day symposium on the theme ''Word Accents and Tones in
Sentence Perspective''.
The symposium aims at bringing together researchers in the area of prosody
to focus on and discuss the state of our knowledge as it relates to
phonetic and phonological patterning of word accents and tones when they
are concatenated in utterances.
ORAL SESSIONS:
The oral sessions will consist of talks by invited speakers.
INVITED SPEAKERS:
Laura Downing, ZAS, Berlin
David House, KTH, Stockholm
Björn Granström, KTH, Stockholm
Carlos Gussenhoven, Radboud University, Nijmegen
Bob Ladd, University of Edinburgh
Anastasia Mukhanova Karlsson, Lund University
Yasuko Nagano-Madsen, Gothenburg University
Tomas Riad, Stockholm University
Chilin Shih, University of Illinois
Jan-Olof Svantesson, Lund University
Siri Tuttle, Alaska Native Language Center, Fairbanks
POSTER SESSION: A limited number of proposals will be accepted for a poster
session during the symposium. Abstracts for poster presentations related to
the theme of the symposium should be sent to [log in to unmask] by
November 1, 2006.
PARTICIPATION: Participation at the scientific part of the symposium is
free of charge. For planning purposes, however, notice of participation is
kindly requested by December 30, 2006 (email: [log in to unmask] ).
Lunch / Dinner
Participation at the lunch and /or dinner is associated with a fee:
Fee for lunch: 20 euro Fee for dinner: 60 euro Notice of attendance at the
symposium lunch and /or dinner is kindly requested by December 20, 2006
(email: [log in to unmask] ).
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POSITIONS AVAILABLE
*****************************
University or Organization: University of Glasgow
Department: English Language
Specialty Areas: Phonetics; Sociolinguistics
Required Language(s): English (eng)
Description:
The Department of English Language invites applications for an RCUK
Academic Fellowship in English Language. The post is available from 1
October 2006.
In accordance with the funding conditions, on satisfactory completion of a
period of probation the successful candidate will be appointed to a
permanent Lectureship in English Language at the end of the period of RCUK
support.
For information about the RCUK scheme, including terms, conditions and
eligibility, see http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/acfellow/
Applicants should have a completed PhD relevant to high-quality research in
phonetics, sociophonetics and sociolinguistics.
Address for Applications:
Recruitment Section
Human Resources Department
University of Glasgow
Glasgow G12 8QQ
United Kingdom
Application Deadline: 21-Jul-2006
Contact Information:
Professor Jeremy Smith
Email: [log in to unmask]
Phone: +44 (0)141 330 5684
Fax: +44 (0)141 330 3531
Apply on-line at: http://www.gla.ac.uk/humanresources/recruit/
====================================================
University or Organization: Yale University
Department: Linguistics
Job Rank: Professor
Specialty Areas: Phonetics
Description:
The Department of Linguistics at Yale University expects to make an
appointment at either the tenured or the non-tenured level in the field of
linguistic phonetics, with particular attention to the relation between the
study of speech as an external, physical phenomenon and its more abstract
linguistic organization, effective as of the academic year 2007-2008.
Candidates at the junior level should be assured of completing the
requirements for the Ph.D. by the summer of 2007 at the latest. Particular
consideration will be given to candidates who are prepared to teach courses
and conduct research bearing on the cognitive underpinnings of speech and
its relation to language, in addition to practical phonetics courses. The
appointee will be responsible for maintaining and developing our relation
with the Haskins Laboratories, a unique and invaluable resource for the
study of phonetics and related areas in the Yale community. Candidates
should have a demonstrated commitment to graduate and undergraduate
education and a strong and diverse publication record.
Applicants should send a current CV, two or three representative pieces of
research and the names of potential references by 15 December, 2006 to:
Chair, phonetics search committee; Department of Linguistics, PO Box
208366, New Haven, CT 06520-8366. Please do NOT have letters of
recommendation sent to us before we explicitly request them: such
unsolicited letters will be disregarded in the appointment process. We hope
to interview potential candidates at the annual meeting of the Linguistic
Society of America in Anaheim, CA in January 2007, and additional
applications may be submitted at that time. Yale University is an
Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, and we especially encourage
applications from women and members of under-represented minorities.
Address for Applications:
Professor Stephen Anderson
PO Boc 208366
New Haven, CT 06511
USA
Application Deadline: Open until filled.
Contact Information:
Professor Stephen Anderson
Email: [log in to unmask]
====================================================
University or Organization: ETS
Department: Research & Development
Job Rank: Research Scientist
Specialty Areas: Computational Linguistics; Speech Technology
Description:
Headquartered in Princeton, NJ, ETS is the world's premier educational
measurement institution and a leader in educational research. As an
innovator in developing achievement and occupational tests for clients in
business, education, and government, we are determined to advance
educational excellence for the communities we serve.
ETS Research & Development has a Research Scientist opening in the
Automated Scoring and Natural Language Processing Group. This group
conducts research focusing on the development of new capabilities in
automated scoring and NLP-based analysis and evaluation systems which are
used to improve assessments, learning tools and test development practices
for diverse groups of users that include K-12 students, college students,
English Language Learners and lifelong learners. The Research Scientist
position involves applying scientific, technical and software engineering
skills in designing and conducting research studies and developing
capabilities in support of educational products and services.
REQUIREMENTS
Job level to be determined based on qualifications and experience.
Associate Research Scientist:
- A Ph.D. in Natural Language Processing, Computational Linguistics,
Computer Science, or Electrical Engineering with a focus on speech
technology, particularly speech recognition. Knowledge of linguistics is a
plus.
- Evidence of at least three years of independent substantive research
experience and/or experience in developing and deploying speech technology
capabilities, preferably in educational environments.
- Demonstrable contributions to new and/or modified theories of speech
processing and their implementation in automated systems.
- Practical expertise with speech recognition systems and fluency in at
least one major programming language (e.g. Java, Perl, C/C++, Python).
Research Scientist:
- Same as above. In addition, three years of independent substantive
research experience and/or experience in developing and deploying speech
technology capabilities, preferably in educational environments.
ETS offers competitive salaries and excellent benefits including 2
retirement plans, and continuing education. Please send resume along with
cover letter stating salary requirements, and title to [log in to unmask]
We regret we are unable to respond to each resume received. Only those
selected for an interview will be contacted.
EEO/AA Employer M/F/D/V'
Address for Applications:
Sr. Recruiter Cheryl Wallace
Rosedale Road
MS 46D
Princeton, NJ 08541
USA
Application Deadline: Open until filled.
Contact Information:
Cheryl Wallace
Email: [log in to unmask]
Fax: 609-734-1900
=====================================================
University or Organization: NUANCE
Job Rank: Junior Voice Developer
Specialty Areas: Computational Linguistics; Phonetics
Required Language(s): Chinese, Min Nan (nan)
Chinese, Mandarin (cmn)
Description:
Nuance is the leading provider of speech and imaging solutions for
businesses and consumers around the world. Every day, millions of users
and thousands of businesses experience Nuance by calling directory
assistance, requesting account information, dictating patient records,
telling a navigation system their destination, or digitally reproducing
documents that can be shared and searched. With more than 1500 employees
worldwide, we are committed to make the user experience more enjoyable by
transforming the way people interact with information and how they create,
share and use documents. Making each of those experiences productive and
compelling is what Nuance is about.
To strengthen our young and enthusiastic R&D team in Europe, we are
currently looking for a
Junior Voice Developer
Taiwanese and Mandarin
Who will assist in the creation of state-of-the-art voice for use with the
market-leading RealSpeak text-to-speech (TTS) engine. You will join the
team in Merelbeke, Belgium.
Role:
•- Design of text corpora for recording and testing
•- Selection of voice talents
•- Coaching the voice talent
•- Processing speech data
•- Creating and tuning the TTS voice
•- Testing and productization of the TTS voice
•- Assistance in the creation of the linguistic processing component
Profile:
We are looking for enthusiastic, dedicated people who want to learn about,
or increase their knowledge of, speech technology while making a real
contribution to a successful product. In terms of skills, we are seeking
people who can do most - but not necessarily all - of the following.
If you:
•- Are native Taiwanese and native or near native Mandarin •-
Speak English fluently (working language) •- Have some experience
working in speech/NLP/linguistics either in academia or in industry •-
Have some computational ability - no programming is required, but you
should be comfortable working with MS Windows •- Possibly know some
AWK or Perl - which would be an advantage •- Are willing to work in
Merelbeke (near Ghent in Belgium) for the duration of the contract
Then we would love to hear from you.
Offer:
•- A 6 months contract •- Training in all aspects of the job, and
you will be working with a talented and committed team •- An exciting
job with an innovative and performing international company •- The
opportunity to work in an enthusiastic, supportive team •- Competitive
remuneration package •- Relocation, travel and accommodation
assistance.
Interested?
Please apply for this position to Natalie Vandemoortele via email at the
address given below.
We are looking forward to receiving your application!
The experience speaks for itself.
Address for Applications:
International Recruiter Natalie Vandemoortele
Guldensporenpark 32
Merelbeke 9820
Belgium
Application Deadline: Open until filled.
Contact Information:
Natalie Vandemoortele
Email: [log in to unmask]
Phone: +32 (0)9 239 8095.
=====================================================
University or Organization: Nuance Communication International
Department: HR
Job Rank: Scientist
Specialty Areas: General Linguistics
Required Language(s): English (eng)
Description:
Nuance is the leading provider of speech and imaging solutions for
businesses and consumers around the world. Every day, millions of users
and thousands of businesses experience Nuance by calling directory
assistance, requesting account information, dictating patient records,
telling a navigation system their destination, or digitally reproducing
documents that can be shared and searched. With more than 1200 employees
worldwide, we are committed to make the user experience more enjoyable by
transforming the way people interact with information and how they create,
share and use documents. Making each of those experiences productive and
compelling is what Nuance is about.
To strengthen our international team we are currently looking for an
Acoustic Database Administrator
1. Job situation:
The Acoustic Database Administrator will work in a team responsible for
delivery of linguistic resources that will be used in speech and language
technology.
He or she will report to a Linguistic Resources Manager.
The person will work on a temporary basis in the Nuance Communications
International offices, in Merelbeke (near Gent).
2. Tasks and responsibilities:
The Acoustic Database Administrator is responsible for description,
administration, quality control, follow-up, support and maintenance of
acoustic databases and their overviews. These acoustic databases are to be
used for further speech technology development at different locations in
Nuance worldwide. All of the acoustic databases efforts will be done
considering the optimal cost, quality and planning requirements.
He or she will be responsible for:
•- Documenting acoustic databases using a standard
description template,
•- Quality assessment of acoustic database copies and
descriptions,
•- Follow-up on acoustic database completeness,
•- Reporting about progress and quality of descriptions,
classification and copies,
•- Producing overviews to document work status and progress,
•- Keep catalogue and library databases up to date,
•- Formulating proposals about improving working methods
and concepts,
•- Feedback and support to local team(s) involved in
acoustic databases,
•- All administration and classification related to the
acoustic databases,
•- Registering, labeling and producing the required archive
and delivery copies.
3. Qualifications and profile:
•- Good working knowledge of English,
•- Background in linguistics,
•- Positive attitude and likes to work in a team,
•- Have a logic and structured, problem solving approach,
•- Able to work accurately in a consistent manner,
•- Experience in application of computer software and tools,
Interested?
Please apply for this position to Alan Kitaman.
If you have any questions, please contact me at +32 (0)9 239 8090.
We are looking forward to receiving your application!
The experience speaks for itself™
Address for Applications:
Alan Kitaman
Guldensporenpark 32
Merelbeke 9820
Belgium
Application Deadline: (Open until filled)
Contact Information:
Intl. Recruitement Manager Alan Kitaman
Email: [log in to unmask]
=====================================================
University or Organization: National University of Singapore
Department: Chinese Studies
Job Rank: Assistant Professor
Specialty Areas: Phonetics; Phonology; Chinese Linguistics
Description:
The Department of Chinese Studies, National University of Singapore,
invites applications for a teaching position in: Chinese Linguistics with
specialisation in Chinese phonetics and phonology. Appointments: Assistant
Professor/ Associate Professor. Position offered will commensurate with
qualification and experience. Assistant Professor: must possess a doctorate
upon appointment. Associate Professor: must demonstrate clear research
ability, has a solid track record of research output as well as good
teaching standards. Commencement of appointment: August 2007. Candidates
are expected to teach undergraduate and graduate courses by offering
modules in Chinese and English, conduct research and supervise MA/PhD
students.
For more information and job application documents and procedures, please
refer to these websites:
Department of Chinese Studies www.fas.nus.edu.sg/chs
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences www.fas.nus.edu.sg
Employment Terms and Conditions http://www.nus.edu.sg/ohr/
National University of Singapore www.nus.edu.sg
APPLICATION REVIEW: STARTS IN JANUARY 2007 UNTIL POSITION IS FILLED.
Address for Applications:
Ms Shirley Koh
5 Arts Link
Level 3, Shaw Foundation Building
Singapore, Singapore 117570
Singapore
Application Deadline: Open until filled.
Contact Information:
Ms Shirley Koh
Email: [log in to unmask]
Phone: +65 65166894
Fax: +65 67794167
Apply on-line at: http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/chs
=====================================================
University or Organization: University of Arizona
Department: Linguistics
Job Rank: Post Doc
Specialty Areas: Phonetics; Phonology
Required Language(s): English (eng)
Description:
The Post Doc Research Associate will work with the lab director to design
and execute experimental protocols for ultrasound imaging of the tongue's
movement during speech and will formulate and test hypothesis rooted in
current issues of theoretical phonology and will oversee daily operation of
the Arizona Phonological Imaging Lab (APIL).
Depending on applicant's qualifications and the department's needs, the
postdoc research associate will teach up to two courses a year in the
Department of Linguistics as well as the following:
-Maintain Lab equipment
-Train and supervise research assistants
-Design, test and execute experiments capturing ultrasound images of the
tongue.
-Perform measurements and statistical tests.
-Prepare materials for publication.
-Provide guest lectures in classes.
-Assist in grant preparation.
Minimum Qualifications:
PhD in Linguistics or closely related area upon date of hire.
Excellent writing and communication skills.
Experience with use of ultrasound technology.
Experience with MacIntosh and PC platforms.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience with audio-visual recording and production equipment in both
digital and analog formats.
Specialization in theoretical phonology or phonetics.
Experience with articulatory data collection and analysis.
Mathematical ability (strong trigonometry).
Programming ability (any language).
Two year commitment.
Further details and an application form can be found at:
https://www.uacareertrack.com/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1149703404981
Address for Applications:
Professor Diana Archangeli
1100 E. University Blvd., 200E
Department of Linguistics
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85721-0028
USA
Application Deadline: Open until filled.
Contact Information:
Professor Diana Archangeli
Email: [log in to unmask]
Phone: 520-621-6897
Apply on-line at: http://www.arizona.edu/
=====================================================
University or Organization: Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh, UK
Department: Speech Science Research Centre
Job Rank: Research Fellow
Specialty Areas: Phonetics; Phonology
Required Language(s): English (eng)
Research Fellow
Speech Science Research Centre
£20,044 per annum pro rata (0.5 FTE)
Ref: PRSL024A
Fixed term contract: 1st September 2006 – 31st August 2008
The Speech Science Research Centre, located within Queen Margaret
University College, are currently looking for a Research Fellow to work on
an ESRC funded project entitled 'Cross-language differences in pitch
range'. You will be involved in recruiting and managing subjects,
participating in the experimental design, conducting production and
perception experiments, and participating in the data analysis. The post
holder will also be expected to contribute to scientific publications.
An honours graduate in a relevant speech science area, preferably with a
PhD or equivalent research experience, you will have a strong background in
phonetics including acoustic analysis, intonational labeling systems (ToBI,
IViE), strong abilities in PRAAT scripting and statistical analysis of
data. Excellent written and spoken communication skills are essential. A
good working knowledge of German would be advantageous.
Informal enquiries may be made to Dr Ineke Mennen, Senior Lecturer, Tel.
0131 3173757 or Email [log in to unmask]
The job is currently a half-time (0.5 FTE) position for two years, but
there is some flexibility to allow more intensive input over a shorter time
period.
For further details and to apply please go to www.qmuc.ac.uk or
alternatively contact Human Resources on 0131 317 3291 (24 hours) or email
[log in to unmask] quoting the appropriate reference number.
Closing Date: 3rd July 2006.
Interview Date: 13th July 2006
=====================================================
University or Organization: Universität Konstanz
Department: Linguistics
Job Rank: PhD Scholarship
Specialty Areas: Phonology; Psycholinguistics
Description:
One doctoral (Ph.D.) research position is available for a 2 1/2-year period
(not renewable), commencing August 1st 2006 within the Collaborative
Research Center (Sonderforschungsbereich) 471 'Variation and Evolution in
the Lexicon', funded by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche
Forschungsgemeinschaft). The salary scale is BAT IIa/2.
Project title: Phonological Patterns and Subregularities in the Lexicon
Principle investigator: Baris Kabak
Project description:
This project aims to experimentally unveil representational differences in
static vs. phonological regularities as they pertain to vowel harmony in an
attempt to develop a wider conception of lexical knowledge and how it
interacts with phonological grammar. Through electrophysiological
experiments, the project will first study how the human brain detects
harmonic vs. disharmonic vowel sequences in words. It will also look at
harmony and disharmony from a diachronic perspective to identify potential
factors that create vowel harmony and those that eventually contribute to
its loss. The languages to be studied are Turkish and Hungarian.
Requirements:
Applicants must have an M.A. degree (or equivalent) in linguistics, with a
specialization in Phonology and/or Psycholinguistics. Some knowledge of
Turkish and/or Hungarian, as well as some experience in
electrophysiological experimentation and statistical analysis would be
ideal. The successful applicant is expected to undertake research toward a
Ph.D degree in linguistics. For further information and informal inquiries,
please contact Baris Kabak.
Application deadline: 14 July 2006 Applicants should send (preferably via
e-mail) a cover letter, a full CV and one sample paper or publication to
Prof. Dr. Baris Kabak at the address below.
The first contract will begin in August 2006, but applications for a later
starting date will also be considered. The University of Konstanz is an
equal opportunity employer and tries to increase the number of women in
research and teaching. The University encourages disabled persons, who will
be given preference if appropriately qualified, to apply (Contact
+49-7531-883725).
Address for Applications:
Prof. Baris Kabak
Department of Linguistics
University of Konstanz
Fach D 180
Konstanz, Ba-Wü 78457
Germany
Email: [log in to unmask]
Phone: +49-7531-884758
Fax: +49-7531-884160
Application Deadline: 14-Jul-2006
*****************************
RESOURCE
*****************************
Sound Patterns Database
P-base is a searchable database of 8000+ sound patterns as reported in
grammars of 628 varieties of 549 spoken languages, which represent all
grammars found on the shelves in the libraries of The Ohio State University
and Michigan State University during 2003 and 2004 (Library of Congress
PA-PM).
The database was collected for my dissertation and will be distributed by
Oxford with the book version of it. It will also remain freely
downloadable. I am looking for people to provide feedback on the program
and the data in it.
The beta version of the program can be downloaded from
http://www.u.arizona.edu/~mielke/research/pbase.html
Please send questions and comments to [log in to unmask] Let me know how
the database and interface could be made more useful to you in terms of
features or content.
Thanks
Jeff Mielke
*****************************
HELP REQUESTED
*****************************
The Blizzard Challenge 2006:
Evaluating corpus-based speech synthesis on common data
http://www.festvox.org/blizzard/
LISTENING TESTS:
In order to investigate corpus-based speech synthesis techniques we have
devised a large experiment in which research laboratories around the world
used the same speech databases to build synthetic voices.
Year two of the Blizzard Challenge is upon us, and once again, we would
like to have as many people take part as possible. We also feel that
diverse bodies of participants (i.e. those who are knowledgeable about
speech, those knowledgeable about technology, and lay people) allow for
interesting comparisons.
In the web-based listening tests, various waveform files are played to the
listener who then is asked to score them on a 1-5 scale or in some tests,
to type in what they hear.
To participate in the listening tests please go to:
http://www.speech.cs.cmu.edu/blizzard2006/register-R.html
You will be asked to register, then listen to and evaluate a set of
sentences. It takes around 30-60 minutes to complete all the tests. It is
best if the tests are completed in a single session, but it is possible to
leave and return later, continuing from where you left off.
When you have finished, please give us as much feedback (via the exit
questionnaire) as you are willing. Native language information, etc. will
be especially useful.
Thanks for helping to improve the quality of spoken output!
Tina Bennett
Ph.D. student, Speech group
Language Technologies Institute
Carnegie Mellon University
*******************************************************************
The deadline for the June issue of foNETiks is 28 July 2006.
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