This is a Scholars Award for Methodological Training to a linguistic anthropologist at the University of Georgia to develop methodological skills in the linguistic analysis of speech signals using a computer-based system. The funds will allow the purchase of a machine designed to facilitate graphing and analysis of speech signals, and to allow the PI to study with a local expert in the use of the machine. The project will analyze patterns of speech between parents/caregivers and children to identify aspects of the acoustic features of the interaction that can predict patterns oflanguage acquisition by children. The data will be taped speech from the PI's previous research in English, Spanish and Luo (a Kenyan language), as well as new data collected during this project of English speaking parents and children. This Scholars Award for Methodological Training is important because advances in understanding the importance of "prosody", the acoustic elements in speech, are necessary to advance our understanding of how people learn to speak in general. With the advent of more sophisticated, computer based analysis systems, our scientific personnel need support to become expert in the new methodology.
