Published by De Gruyter Mouton

Volume 5 Issue 2

Issue of Laboratory Phonology

Contents
Journal Overview

Publicly Available April 26, 2014

Frontmatter

Page range: i-iii

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Publicly Available April 26, 2014

Geminate timing in Lebanese Arabic: the relationship between phonetic timing and phonological structure

Ghada Khattab, Jalal Al-Tamimi

Page range: 231-269

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Abstract

This study investigates medial gemination patterns in Lebanese Arabic (LA). It offers an account of the duration patterns of quantity distinction for vowels and consonants in LA by using the most comprehensive dataset for this variety, and for Arabic in general, so far in terms of the number of speakers (20), the consonant types examined (24), the inspection of vowels preceding and following the consonant in durational analyses, and the inclusion of male and female speakers. The main aim is to show correspondence between phonetic timing in LA and phonological accounts of syllabic structure that are based on moraic weight (Hayes 1989; Broselow 1995; McCarthy and Prince 1995). The study extends predictions of mora-sharing in disyllables with medial clusters that are preceded by a long vowel (e.g., /ˈmaal.ħa/ ‘salty-FEM-SG’) to comparable syllables with a medial geminate (e.g., /ˈmaal.la/ ‘bored-FEM-SG’), which have not been investigated in Arabic before. It shows that vowel shortening preceding medial geminates affects phonologically long but not short vowels, downplaying the commonly referred to closed-syllable shortening effect as the main reason for this phenomenon (Maddieson 1997). Instead, an account based on the interface between phonetic and phonological effects on compensatory vowel shortening offers better predictions.

Publicly Available April 26, 2014

Variability in English vowels is comparable in articulation and acoustics

Aude Noiray, Khalil Iskarous, D. H. Whalen

Page range: 271-288

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Abstract

The nature of the links between speech production and perception has been the subject of longstanding debate. The present study investigated the articulatory parameter of tongue height and the acoustic F1–F0 difference for the phonological distinction of vowel height in American English front vowels. Multiple repetitions of /i, ɪ, e, ɛ, æ/ in [(h)Vd] sequences were recorded in seven adult speakers. Articulatory (ultrasound) and acoustic data were collected simultaneously to provide a direct comparison of variability in vowel production in both domains. Results showed idiosyncratic patterns of articulation for contrasting the three front vowel pairs /i-ɪ/, /e-ɛ/, and /ɛ-æ/ across subjects, with the degree of variability in vowel articulation comparable to that observed in the acoustics for all seven participants. However, contrary to what was expected, some speakers showed reversals for tongue height for /ɪ/-/e/ that were also reflected in acoustics, with F1 higher for /ɪ/ than for /e/. The data suggest the phonological distinction of height is conveyed via speaker-specific articulatory-acoustic patterns that do not strictly match features descriptions. However, the acoustic signal is faithful to the articulatory configuration that generated it, carrying the crucial information for perceptual contrast.

Publicly Available April 26, 2014

Perception of voicing and place of articulation in labial and alveolar English stop consonants

Noah H. Silbert

Page range: 289-335

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Abstract

Distinctive features define a multidimensional structure that must be implemented in speech production and perception. A multilevel Gaussian General Recognition Theory model is presented as a model of multidimensional feature perception. The model is fit to data from three experiments probing identification of noise-masked, naturally-produced labial and alveolar English stop consonants [p], [b], [t], and [d] in onset (syllable-initial) and coda (syllable-final) position. The results indicate systematic perceptual deviations from simple place and voicing structure in individual subjects and at the group level. Comparing onset and coda positions shows that syllable position modulates the deviation patterns, and comparing speech-shaped noise and multi-talker babble indicates that deviations from simple feature structure are reasonably robust to variation in noise characteristics. Possible causes of the observed perceptual confusion patterns are discussed, and extensions of this work to studies of feature structure in speech production and investigation of non-native speech perception are briefly outlined.

About this journal

De Gruyter Mouton published Laboratory Phonology from 2010 to 2015. Back issues are available on the journal home page.

Laboratory phonology represents the scientific study of the elements of spoken and signed language, their organization, their grammatical function, and their role in speech communication. Research in laboratory phonology uses laboratory or experimental methods and is grounded in quantitative analyses of empirical data from diverse languages. The laboratory phonology approach also extends naturally to the parallel investigation of manual signs as the encoding elements of signed languages. Laboratory phonology is at the leading edge of the general shift towards experimental and quantitative approaches to the study of language across the discipline of linguistics.

The Laboratory Phonology journal publishes research on phonology from a range of disciplinary perspectives including linguistics, psychology, speech & hearing science, communication science, computer science, electrical & computer engineering, and other related fields. The journal encourages submissions on any of the above areas for publication in regular issues and also publishes special issues of select papers from Laboratory Phonology conferences.