Speech Timing in Typically Developing Mandarin-Speaking Children From Ages 3 To 4

Speech Timing in Typically Developing Mandarin-Speaking Children From Ages 3 To 4

This study aims to develop a better understanding of the speech timing development in Mandarin-speaking children from 3 to 4 years of age. Data were selected from two typically developing children. Four 50-min recordings were collected during 3 and 4 years old based on natural conversation among the observers, participants, and the parents, and the picture-naming task. Speech timing were measured by Praat, including speaking rate, articulation rate, mean length of utterance (MLUs), mean utterance duration, mean word duration, pause ratio, and volubility. Major findings of the current study are: 1) Five measurements (speaking rate, mean length of utterance (MLUs), mean utterance length, mean word duration and volubility) decreased with age in both children; 2) Articulation rate of both children increased with age; 3) Comparing with the findings from previous studies, pause ratio of both slightly increased with age. These findings not only contribute to a more comprehensive data for assessment, it also can be a reference in speech intervention.