Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

Bruce L. Smith, Ph.D.

Dr Bruce Smith

Faculty Position

Professor, Speech Science

Contact Information

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Social & Behavioral Sciences Building, Rm 1216
390 South 1530 East

Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112-0252

Phone: (801) 585-6783
Fax: (801) 581-7955
Email: Bruce.Smith@hsc.utah.edu

Professional Interests

General phonetics, experimental phonetics, acoustics of first (L1) and second (L2) language speech production, phonological development and disorders.

Current Research

Dr. Smith’s research focuses on acoustic characteristics of speech production by normal L1 adults and non-native speakers of English.  He utilizes acoustic measures as a means for assessing issues pertaining to speech production performance by these groups.  Current studies are examining various acoustic and kinematic parameters produced by native English-speaking adults and adult speakers of other languages (e.g., German, Polish, Mandarin) learning English as a second language to determine how various temporal and other acoustic properties may contribute to L2 speakers’ accents.

Representative Publications

  • Smith, B.L. and Peterson, E. A. (2012). Native English speakers learning German as a second language: Devoicing of final voiced stop targets.  Journal of Phonetics, 40, 129-140.

  • Smith, B. L. and Hayes-Harb, R.  (2011).  Speech production and speech perception findings for native German speakers learning English as a second language.  In M. Wrembel, M. Kul and K. Dziubalska-Kolaczyk (Eds.), Achievements and perspectives in SLA speech: New Sounds 2010,Vol. 1, pp. 267-78, Peter Lang Verlag: Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

  • Smith, B. L. and Hayes-Harb, R. (2011).  Individual differences in the perception of final consonant voicing among native and non-native speakers of English. Journal of Phonetics, 39, 115-120.

  • Smith, B. L., Hayes-Harb, R., Bruss, M., and Harker, A. A.  (2009). Production and perception of voicing and devoicing in similar German and English word pairs by native speakers of German. Journal of Phonetics, 37, 257-275.

  • Hayes-Harb, R., Smith, B. L., Bent, T., and Bradlow, A. R. (2008). The Interlanguage speech intelligibility benefit for native speakers of Mandarin: Production and perception of English word-final voicing contrasts. Journal of Phonetics, 36, 664-679.

  • Bent, T., Bradlow, A., and Smith, B. L., (2008). Production and perception of temporal contrasts in foreign-accented English. Phonetica, 65, 131-147.

  • Bent, T., Bradlow, A. R., & Smith, B. L. (2007). Phonemic errors in different word positions and their effects on intelligibility of non-native speech: All's well that begins well. In M. J. Munro and O-S Bohn (Eds.) Festschrift for James Emil Flege, pp. 331-347. John Benjamins: Amsterdam.

  • Smith, B. L., McGregor, K. K.,& DeMille, D. (2006) Phonological development in lexically-precocious two-year-olds. Applied Psycholinguistics, 27, 355-375.

  • Smith, B. L. (2002). Effects of speaking rate on temporal patterns of English. Phonetica, 59, 232-44.

  • Smith, B. L. (2000). Variations in temporal patterns of speech production among speakers of English. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 108, 2438-2442.

  • Smith, B. L., & Kenney, M. K. (1999). A longitudinal study of the development of temporal properties of speech production: Data from four children. Phonetica, 56, 73-102. 

  • Smith, B. L., & Kenney, M. K. (1998). An assessment of several acoustic parameters in children's speech production development: Longitudinal data. Journal of Phonetics, 26, 95-108.

  • Brown-Sweeney, S., & Smith, B. L. (1997). The development of speech production abilities in children with Down syndrome. Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics, 11, 345-362.

  • Smith, B. L., Kenney, M. K., & Hussain, S. (1996). A longitudinal investigation of duration and temporal variability in children's speech production. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 99, 2344-2349. 

  • Smith, B. L., & Stoel-Gammon, C. (1996). A quantitative analysis of reduplicated and variegated babbling in vocalizations by Down syndrome infants. Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics, 10, 119-129.

  • Smith, B. L. (1995). Variability of lip and jaw movements in the speech of children and adults. Phonetica, 52, 307-316.

  • Smith, B. L. (1994). Effects of experimental manipulations and intrinsic contrasts on relationships between duration and temporal variability in children's and adults' speech. Journal of Phonetics, 22, 155-175.

  • Smith, B. L., & Kenny, M. K. (1994). Variability control in speech production tasks performed by adults and children. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 96, 699-705. 

  • Smith, B. L. (1992). Relationships between duration and temporal variability in children's speech. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 91, 2165-2174.

Recent Presentations

  • Smith, B. L. and Peterson, E. A. Native English speakers learning German as a second language: Devoicing of final voiced stop targets. Paper presented at the Acoustical Society of America, San Diego, CA, 2011.

  • Smith, B. L. and Hayes-Harb, R. (2010).  Speech production and speech perception findings for native German speakers learning English as a second language.  Sixth International Symposium on the Acquisition of Second Language Speech, Poznan, Poland.

  • Smith, B. L. (2010). Converging studies of devoicing in first and second language speech production.  Invited presentation to the School of English at Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland.

  • Smith, B. L. and Hayes-Harb, R. (2009). Individual differences in the perception of final consonant voicing among native and non-native speakers of English. Poster presented at the Acoustical Society of America, Portland, Oregon.

  • Smith, B. L., Bruss, M., Hayes-Harb, R., and Hamilton, A.  (2007). Voicing and devoicing in similar German and English word pairs by native speakers of German. Poster presented at the Acoustical Society of America, New Orleans, Louisiana.

  • Smith, B. L., & Hayes-Harb, R. (2007). Individual differences in the production and perception of the voicing contrast by native and non-native speakers of English. Poster presented at the Acoustical Society of America, Salt Lake City, Utah. 

  • Hayes-Harb, R., Smith, B. L., Bent, T., & Bradlow, A. R. (2006). Relationships between the intelligibility and acoustic properties of native English and Mandarin-accented English. Poster presented at the Acoustical Societies of America and Japan, Honolulu, Hawaii.

  • Smith, B. L., DeMille, D., Roberts, A., Bradlow, A. R., & Bent, T. (2005). Devoicing in word-final voiced stop targets produced by native and non-native speakers of English. Poster presented at the Workshop on Second Language Speech Learning sponsored by the Acoustical Society of America and the Canadian Acoustical Association, Vancouver, Canada.