Intensity as a macroprosodic variable in Czech

Abstract

The present paper provides an acoustic description of macrointensity patterns of stress units (prosodic words) in read Czech, as reflected by the intensity of syllable nuclei. Normalized intensity values show that there is a gradual macrodynamic decrease over the inter-pause group, followed typically by a significant intensity reset. Local intensity drops occur between the last two syllables of the stress unit; in addition, there is a major intensity drop before the pause. Syllables bearing perceived accents do not show intensity peaks.