William J. Barry
Also known as William John Barry, Bill Barry
William J. Barry is a phonetician whose work connected phonetics with speech technology, including speech synthesis and automatic speech recognition. After studying English, German and French in London, he taught in Germany, held research posts in Cambridge and London, and led Saarland University's Institute of Phonetics while coordinating international speech technology projects. He co-edited a 2006 collection on phonetic knowledge in speech technology, and a 2009 study with Bistra Andreeva and Jacques Koreman examined how acoustic cues shape perceived rhythm. He is a retired Professor of Phonetics at Saarland University.
Timeline
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1968–1973
Lectureships and a doctorate
Born in Cork, he studies English, German and French in London before joining Hamburg's Seminar for English Language and Culture as a lecturer in 1968. He moves to the Pedagogical College of Rhineland in Cologne in 1970 and completes a doctorate at the University of Cologne in 1973 in phonetics, general linguistics and German linguistics.
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1980–1985
Kiel habilitation and professorship
In 1980, he completes a phonetics habilitation at Kiel with a study of acoustic information in speech perception. He teaches as a professor there through 1985.
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1987–1991
Research posts in Cambridge and London
At Cambridge's Department of Linguistics, he serves as Senior Research Associate through 1987. He joins University College London's Department of Phonetics and Linguistics as a Senior Research Fellow and stays through 1991.
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1991–2008
Leading Saarland's phonetics institute
He moves to Saarland University as an acting professor of general linguistics and phonetics in 1991, then becomes professor and head of the Institute of Phonetics in 1992. His work includes speech synthesis, automatic speech recognition, rhythm, prominence, speech production and perception; he coordinates international projects in speech synthesis and recognition. He retires from Saarland University in 2008.
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2005
Phonetic knowledge in speech tech
In 2005, he publishes “Phonetic knowledge in speech technology – and phonetic knowledge from speech technology.”
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2006
Editing a speech technology volume
He co-edits The Integration of Phonetic Knowledge in Speech Technology with Willem A. van Dommelen in 2006. The volume discusses cooperation between phonetics and speech engineering, including speech recognition and synthesis.
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2009
Measuring perceived rhythm
With Bistra Andreeva and Jacques Koreman, he publishes “Do Rhythm Measures Reflect Perceived Rhythm?” in Phonetica in 2009. The study finds the Pairwise Variability Index sensitive to metrical differences and points to pitch change as a cue in perceived rhythm.
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As of October 2026
Retired professor at Saarland
He is a retired Professor of Phonetics at Saarland University. In 2023, he is a former Professor for Phonetics at the university.
Career
- Since 1991Saarland UniversityActing Professor in General Linguistics and Phonetics, Professor and Head
- 1989–1987University of CambridgeSenior Research Associate
- 1987–1991University College LondonSenior Research Fellow
- 1980–1985Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu KielProfessor
- From 1970Pedagogical College of Rhineland
- 1968–1970Universität HamburgLecturer
Education
- 1980Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu KielHabilitation in phonetics
- 1973University of CologneDoctorate
Colleagues
Sources and credits
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