Speech Science Forum - Volker Dellwo

While it is well known that humans have control over making their speech more intelligible (clear speech), the speech signal also carries information about the speaker’s identity. This prompts the question: can individuals control the extent to which they are recognisable by their voice and if yes, would such a function play a role in human communication? In this talk, I will provide a framework of ideas to better understand the functions of voice recognition in human communication. I will first show, why a control over voice individuality is crucial in situations in which humans interact with multiple communication partners and will outline the consequences this may have on voice identity production and perception. I will then demonstrate a conceptual framework for how speaker specific information in voice may be controlled and will provide evidence from some speaking styles in which humans appear to strategically apply vocal leveraging to heighten their chances to be recognised. The outlined scenarios underscore the need to understand voice recognition as an integrated process in speech communication.

This event will be hosted online as well: https://ucl.zoom.us/j/97718702895?pwd=UzhOcHlwMTd4NWZFWGVTNGZwTndCQT09