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The article presents information on the influences of precursive sequences on the perception of synthesized vowels. The importance of duration as a cue in the recognition of synthetic vowels has recently been investigated. It was found that the duration of a vowel sound does affect its identity as perceived by English listeners, especially if the vowel is located near the center of the F1-F2 space where it may easily be confused with one of its neighbors if judgment is based on spectral information alone. It has been confirmed that the frequency of the rhythm of a precursive sequence of sounds can influence the perceived identity of vowel sounds.

The article presents an experimental study of the location of rhythmic stress beats in English. The responses and response latencies (reaction times) relative to the audible click were recorded automatically by the computer and stored for later processing. The ballistic pulses of stressed syllables are probably the fundamental events around which the speaker organizes the rhythm of his speech. The listener then perceives these rhythmic beats, and thereby decodes the rhythmic structure, either directly from the acoustic cues of amplitude and spectral change or indirectly from kinesthetic-like feelings about the internally generated signals by means of which he perceives the speech.

Discusses sequential temporal patterns and cognitive processes in speech. Structure of the successive speech and silence durations in spontaneous speech; Analysis of cognitive rhythm; Capability of the spontaneous speech in exhibiting a rhythmic structure.