Beyond spectral moments: Validating alternative measures of sibilant fricatives using listener ratings of children's speech

Shadle [(2023). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 153, 1412-1426] proposed that the spectral peak in mid-frequency (F_M) is a superior measure of place of articulation of sibilant fricatives to the most commonly used measure, the first spectral moment (M1). It is examined as to whether F_M predicts adult listener's ratings of the place of articulation of 2.5-3.5-year-old children's word-initial /s/ and /ʃ/ when compared to M1. Regression models reveal that F_M in 3-9 kHz range best predicts listener's ratings of children's fricatives. These results provide additional validation for F_M as a measure of fricatives' place of articulation, including in children's speech.