Acoustic Features of Emotional Prosody: A Cross-linguistic Analysis of English, Chinese, and Korean

This study investigates the emotional prosodic features of English, Chinese, and Korean, focusing on F0 and intensity variations in happiness, anger, and sadness. Using 180 sentences from movies and TV shows, acoustic features were analyzed with Praat software. Results revealed cross-linguistic and cultural differences: English showed minimal F0 and intensity variation, while Chinese and Korean had lower F0 and intensity for sadness than for happiness and anger. These differences align with cultural norms, as East Asian cultures emphasize emotional restraint, leading to a subdued acoustic expression of sadness. In contrast, Western cultures prioritize direct emotional expression, resulting in explicit and context-independent articulation.