Translation and adaptation of the North Wind and the Sun passage for Persian: a phonetically balanced passage for the Persian language
-
Sasan Etezadi
,
Nariman Rahbar
,
Seyyed Jalal Sameni
,
Farhad Torabinezhad
,
Behrooz Mahmoodi-Bakhtiari
Abstract
Background and aim: Standardized speech passages are essential tools in audiological assessments, particularly for verifying hearing aid performance and evaluating speech perception. To ensure linguistic and cultural relevance, these passages must be adapted to reflect the phonetic characteristics of the target language. This study focused on the translation and phonological adaptation of the North Wind and the Sun (NWS) passage into Persian, aiming to provide a linguistically balanced and culturally appropriate stimulus for use in speech-based verification protocols.
Methods: The NWS passage was translated into Persian with targeted phonetic and syntactic adjustments to ensure phoneme balance and linguistic coherence. Phoneme frequencies were compared to reference Persian studies, and expert reviewers evaluated clarity, naturalness, and content validity using Content Validity Ratio (CVR) analysis. Revisions were made based on feedback to optimize semantic integrity and phonetic distribution.
Results: The translated NWS passage contained 558 phoneme occurrences, with /a/ as the most frequent (63 times), aligning with Persian speech studies. The phoneme distribution stayed within the ±1 SD range, confirming linguistic consistency. Expert evaluations yielded a CVR of 0.85, surpassing the 0.78 threshold, validating its relevance for speech research. The Face Validity Ration (FVR) of 4.7 affirmed clarity, phonetic balance, and natural fluency in Persian speech assessments.
Conclusion: The translated NWS passage maintains phonetic balance with Persian linguistic norms, ensuring accuracy in speech mapping and verification of hearing aids. Its adaptability for phonetic research and hearing aid validation highlights its relevance for Persian-speaking populations and cross-linguistic comparisons.
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| Hearing loss speech perception phonetics hearing aids | ||
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