LINGUIST List 13.390

Tue Feb 12 2002

Qs: Comp Ling/Movies, Sung Speech/Analysis Software

Editor for this issue: Karen Milligan <karenlinguistlist.org>



We'd like to remind readers that the responses to queries are usually best posted to the individual asking the question. That individual is then strongly encouraged to post a summary to the list. This policy was instituted to help control the huge volume of mail on LINGUIST; so we would appreciate your cooperating with it whenever it seems appropriate.

In addition to posting a summary, we'd like to remind people that it is usually a good idea to personally thank those individuals who have taken the trouble to respond to the query.

Directory

  • Robert Dale, Computational Linguistics in the Movies
  • Michael Frishkopf, speech analysis software for sung speech

    Message 1: Computational Linguistics in the Movies

     Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 17:54:05 +1100
    From: Robert Dale <rdaleics.mq.edu.au>
    Subject: Computational Linguistics in the Movies


    Hi

    My institution is running a series of 'Fact or Fiction?' movies, where a popular movie is shown, followed by a discussion on the reality or otherwise of what is portrayed in the movie; and I've been asked to contribute something in the area of computational linguistics/language technology/natural language processing. I wonder if anyone on the list can suggest a good candidate movie?

    I'm aware of the earlier discussion on Linguist of 'linguistics in the movies', but my search of the archives didn't throw up anything that was specifically a portrayal of NLP. Of course there are various movies that portray artificial intelligence (the most obvious being of course Kubrick's '2001'), but I'd rather find something that was more about the specifically computational linguistic aspects, as opposed to the more general machine intelligence aspects.

    Anyone got any ideas? I will of course summarise responses to the list.

    R

    Message 2: speech analysis software for sung speech

     Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2002 03:51:16 -0700
    From: Michael Frishkopf <michaelfualberta.ca>
    Subject: speech analysis software for sung speech


    Greetings,

    I am trying to locate a software package capable of analyzing sung speech, including tools for analyzing formants, loudness, and (especially) providing *accurate* pitch tracking (even in the presence of low level background noise or music) and (ideally) pitch histograms also, as well as enabling user entry of phonetic/phonemic labelled segments, and (perhaps) other signal processing operations.

    The ideal package would be able to handle long excerpts of several minutes. With some packages priced in the thousands, cost could be an issue; if you can recommend products at several price levels please do.

    I'd be most grateful for any advice you can provide.

    Thank you very much. sincerely, Michael Frishkopf

    * * * Michael Frishkopf Assistant Professor Department of Music Faculty of Arts University of Alberta 3-82 Fine Arts Building Edmonton, AB T6G 2C9 CANADA