An acoustic study of vocal expression in two genres of Yoruba oral poetry
This pilot study proposes an acoustic study of the vocal expressions in Ìjálá and Ẹ̀sà, two genres of Yorùbá oral poetry. For this study, we conducted an experiment, involving the vocalization of an original poem in speech mode, Ìjálá and Ẹ̀sà. The vocalizations were recorded and analyzed acoustical...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Communication |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2022.1029400/full |
| _version_ | 1828070350229864448 |
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| author | Samuel K. Akinbo Olanrewaju Samuel Iyabode B. Alaga Olawale Akingbade |
| author_facet | Samuel K. Akinbo Olanrewaju Samuel Iyabode B. Alaga Olawale Akingbade |
| author_sort | Samuel K. Akinbo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This pilot study proposes an acoustic study of the vocal expressions in Ìjálá and Ẹ̀sà, two genres of Yorùbá oral poetry. For this study, we conducted an experiment, involving the vocalization of an original poem in speech mode, Ìjálá and Ẹ̀sà. The vocalizations were recorded and analyzed acoustically. The results of the study show that cepstral peak prominence (CPP), Hammarberg index and Energy of voiced sound below 500 Hz distinguish comparisons of Ẹ̀sà, Ìjálá and speech but are not as reliable as F0 height and vibrato. By comparing the pitch trajectories of the speech tones and poetic tunes, we show that poetry determines tone-to-tune mapping but can accommodate language when it is feasible. The results of our investigation are not only in line with the previous impressionistic observations about vocal expression in Yorùbá oral poetry but contribute with new findings. Notably, our investigation supports vocal tremor as the historical origin of vibrato in Ìjálá. As a result of this, we strongly recommend the instruments of phonetic science for the study of vocal expression in African oral poetry. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T00:35:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d6620bed964346aa81d22ca6d3170a96 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2297-900X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T00:35:19Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Communication |
| spelling | doaj.art-d6620bed964346aa81d22ca6d3170a962023-01-06T21:47:07ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Communication2297-900X2022-12-01710.3389/fcomm.2022.10294001029400An acoustic study of vocal expression in two genres of Yoruba oral poetrySamuel K. Akinbo0Olanrewaju Samuel1Iyabode B. Alaga2Olawale Akingbade3Department of Linguistics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaDepartment of Linguistics and African Languages, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, NigeriaDepartment of Linguistics and African Languages, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, NigeriaDepartment of Linguistics and African Languages, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, NigeriaThis pilot study proposes an acoustic study of the vocal expressions in Ìjálá and Ẹ̀sà, two genres of Yorùbá oral poetry. For this study, we conducted an experiment, involving the vocalization of an original poem in speech mode, Ìjálá and Ẹ̀sà. The vocalizations were recorded and analyzed acoustically. The results of the study show that cepstral peak prominence (CPP), Hammarberg index and Energy of voiced sound below 500 Hz distinguish comparisons of Ẹ̀sà, Ìjálá and speech but are not as reliable as F0 height and vibrato. By comparing the pitch trajectories of the speech tones and poetic tunes, we show that poetry determines tone-to-tune mapping but can accommodate language when it is feasible. The results of our investigation are not only in line with the previous impressionistic observations about vocal expression in Yorùbá oral poetry but contribute with new findings. Notably, our investigation supports vocal tremor as the historical origin of vibrato in Ìjálá. As a result of this, we strongly recommend the instruments of phonetic science for the study of vocal expression in African oral poetry.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2022.1029400/fulloral poetrytonevibratovocal effortvocal expressionphonetics |
| spellingShingle | Samuel K. Akinbo Olanrewaju Samuel Iyabode B. Alaga Olawale Akingbade An acoustic study of vocal expression in two genres of Yoruba oral poetry Frontiers in Communication oral poetry tone vibrato vocal effort vocal expression phonetics |
| title | An acoustic study of vocal expression in two genres of Yoruba oral poetry |
| title_full | An acoustic study of vocal expression in two genres of Yoruba oral poetry |
| title_fullStr | An acoustic study of vocal expression in two genres of Yoruba oral poetry |
| title_full_unstemmed | An acoustic study of vocal expression in two genres of Yoruba oral poetry |
| title_short | An acoustic study of vocal expression in two genres of Yoruba oral poetry |
| title_sort | acoustic study of vocal expression in two genres of yoruba oral poetry |
| topic | oral poetry tone vibrato vocal effort vocal expression phonetics |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2022.1029400/full |
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