Auditory Processing of the Acoustic Patterns of Speech

The auditory processing of the acoustic patterns of speech relevant for the perception of phonetic units is discussed in terms of a three-stage generic model of phonetic perception. It is argued that the auditory system analyzes each brief segment of the acoustic waveform of speech for tonal components and the shape of the “spectral envelope.” The presence and pattern of tonal components is used in the perception of voicing and pitch. The shapes of spectral envelopes and their dynamics induce the perception of phonetic units. The important attributes of the spectral-envelope patterns are identified.