PURPOSE: to investigate fundamental frequency (f0) in elderly people of both genders, discussing correlations to the perceptual sphere (gender and age bracket). METHODS: 4 male and 4 female subjects were selected aging from 60 to 76 years, without any disturbances in the vocal tract, had their speech samples (standard text) recorded in two repetitions. The f0 values were measured in vowel [a] in stressed (S) and pre-stressed (PS) syllables. The samples were also submitted to perceptual analysis, by 60 judges, in order to evaluate speaker's gender and age. RESULTS: average f0 values in PS syllables were 114.14 Hz at the beginning of sentences and 102.71 Hz at the end for male subjects and 151 Hz at the beginning and 146.87 Hz at the end for female subjects. For S syllables the values were 117.42 Hz at the beginning and 92.85 Hz at the end for male subjects and 175 Hz at the beginning and 122.50 Hz at the end for female subjects. There was a significant difference among f0 measures for both genders, as well as among the speakers of the same gender regarding the adult age group. All speakers were judged correctly in gender, with age being referred to as below the real one. CONCLUSION: there was a significant difference in f0 values between gender in elderly subjects, where female subjects presented lower values comparing to younger subjects in the same gender. These data did not seem to interfere with judgments of gender and age bracket.
Speech Acoustics; Aged; Voice; Gender Identity; Auditory Perception
