Michael H. L. Hecker

Articulation‐Testing Methods: Consonantal Differentiation with a Closed‐Response Set

The development and evaluation of a new speech‐intelligibility test suitable for routine use by operational personnel in determining the performance level of speech‐communication systems is described. The format used is similar to that described for a rhyme test but makes use of a closed‐response set. An experiment was performed to determine the general reliability of the test materials when administered to U.S. Air Force enlisted personnel under a wide range of signal‐to‐noise ratios. Testing of 18 listeners over a period of 30 days showed that repeated exposure to the materials did not change the levels of average response in any appreciable way. Analysis of the responses to individual phonetic elements shows that the test can be useful for diagnostic study as well as for over‐all evaluation of communication systems. Talker differences that appeared during the experiment and the statistical reliability and sensitivity of the materials are analyzed and discussed.