Automatic systems for assistance in improving pronunciations

Abstract

Improving the pronunciations of non-native language learners is an important task in a multilingual society. We focus on segmental aspects of pronunciation, and investigate the design of automated assistants that can be used to improve (1) the articulation of phones and (2) the production of tone. Initial experiments investigated phone productions in English by speakers of Nguni languages, and the tone of English speakers when producing speech in an Nguni language. Our initial results are promising, and point to the improvements that are required to develop a practical system.