Articulatory and acoustic variation in Polish palatalised retroflexes compared with plain ones

An MRI-based articulatory analysis of the Kannada dental-retroflex contrast

“…On the other hand, some lowering of the larynx (based on LAH) was observed for retroflexes, which indicates that non-lingual articulators are also involved in the production of the contrast. Note also that we did not find any involvement of the lips in the articulation of retroflexes, contrary to previous findings of lip protrusion or rounding for retroflex fricatives in some languages (Ladefoged & Maddieson 1996;Flemming 2002;Hamann 2003;Lorenc et al 2023). While the jaw was previously noted to distinguish retroflexes from other coronals (see Tabain 2012 on Arrernte), only the horizontal movement of this articulator was relevant in our data, and only for KMU's full set.…”

“…Recall, however, that retroflex fricatives as a class tend to pattern differently from other retroflex consonants, showing considerable variability in tongue shapes and frequent untypical realizations (Flemming 2002; Lorenc et al. 2023; see Section 1.1.6). Further research, therefore, is needed to conclusively determine the status of retroflex fricatives in Kannada.…”

“…For example, previous studies found that the jaw tends to be actively raised for obstruents and lowered for laterals, compared to nasals (Keating et al 1994 on English and Swedish;Mooshammer et al 2006 on German; Tabain 2012 on Arrernte), as well as lowered for retroflexes, compared to dentals (Tabain 2012). Some lip protrusion or rounding has been noted to accompany retroflex fricatives in languages like Polish and Russian (Ladefoged & Maddieson 1996;Flemming 2002;Hamann, 2003;Lorenc et al 2023). The larynx has been generally observed to raise to accommodate the retraction of the tongue root (Esling et al 2019), which may be expected of retroflexes and voiceless obstruents.…”

“…A recent electromagnetic articulatography (EMA) study of Polish retroflex sibilant fricatives and affricates by Lorenc et al. (2023) found considerable inter-speaker variation in the tongue shapes. Yet, the overwhelming majority of tokens produced by their twenty speakers involved tongue tip constrictions in the post-alveolar region, and thus conformed to the retroflex status of these consonants.…”

“…Some lip protrusion or rounding has been noted to accompany retroflex fricatives in languages like Polish and Russian (Ladefoged & Maddieson 1996; Flemming 2002; Hamann, 2003; Lorenc et al. 2023). The larynx has been generally observed to raise to accommodate the retraction of the tongue root (Esling et al.…”