Voice quality described through impressionistic labels

subsidies for forensic application

Abstract

This study evaluates the relationship between impressionistic and phonetic descriptors of voice quality and discusses the implications for forensic phonetics casework regarding earwitnesses. The methodology included the judgments of a set of voice samples by listeners with and without training in phonetics, as well as the assessment of these voices by experts using Vocal Profile Analysis (VPA). Multivariate statistical analysis was used to examine the relationships between the VPA settings (phonetic descriptors), and the adjectives used by untrained listeners (impressionistic descriptors). The results show associations between the VPA settings and adjectives used by untrained listeners and highlight how voice quality characteristics impact the perceptions of both lay and trained listeners – an area of interest in forensic phonetics.