Development of Word Lists in Telugu for Assessing Speech Recognition Threshold: Alternative Forms to Existing Word Lists

Abstract

Background: The present study aimed to develop word lists in Telugu for assessing speech recognition threshold which might serve as equivalent and alternative forms to the existing word lists. Methods: A total of two word lists were developed using compound words with each list consisting of 25 words. Equivalence analysis and performance-intensity function testing was carried out using two word lists on a total of 75 native speakers of Telugu who were equally divided into three groups. Results: The results revealed that there was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) in the speech recognition performance between three groups for each word list, and between two word lists for each group. Hence, the two word lists developed were found to be equally difficult for all the groups and can be used interchangeably. The performance-intensity (PI) function curve showed semi-linear function, and the subjects reached the beginning of the plateau at 3 dBSL where they reached more than 90% speech recognition score for two word lists, and reached 100% speech recognition score at 6 dBSL. The 50% speech recognition score which corresponds to SRT was obtained at less than 1.5 dBSL for two word lists suggesting good agreement between PTA and SRT. Conclusions: The findings of the study are similar to the findings of existing word lists in Telugu. Thus the developed word lists in the present study can be considered equivalent and alternative forms to existing word lists in Telugu.