From Information Structure to Intonation: A Phonological Interface for Concept-to-Speech

The paper describes a component that interfaces between the generator and the synthesizer of a German language concept-to-speech system. It discusses phenomena in German intonation that depend on the interaction between grammatical dependencies (projection of information structure into syntax) and prosodic context (performancerelated modifications to intonation patterns). The grammatical factors are covered by the unification-based generation grammar, whereas genuinely prosodic factors are implemented in the interface module, where influences like phonological distance between tonal accents are encoded more directly. An extended two-level phonology component represents the core interface where the modules for grammar processing and speech synthesis meet and communicate. In a concept-to-speech system with its various modules built on diverse technological foundations, there is a strong case for having such a robust and flexible component that nevertheless offers a large degree of concep..