The MARRYS cap: A new method for analyzing and teaching the importance of jaw movements in speech production

This paper reports on the MARRYS cap, as an easy-to-use alternative method for measuring jaw displacement. We sketch the motivation for developing the cap, report on details of how the cap works, and finally report on some preliminary data, comparing results of the cap with those of EMA. Results show that the MARRYS cap can reliably exhibit a difference of jaw displacement in various contexts, but it is more handy, mobile, and affordable than EMA. The MARRYS cap is suitable for various kinds of phonetic analyses, be it classroom teaching/training, fieldwork, or lab studies on jaw-related vowel targets or rhythm patterns. It can also be used to help teach more native-like expressions of attitudes for different cultures, such as dominance or friendliness, as well as support rhetorical training that assesses, visualizes, and improves a speaker’s public-speaking performance.