From perception to phonology: The emergence of perceptually motivated constraint rankings

Variation in Norwegian retroflexion

“…A question which therefore lies outside the scope of this article is where the retroflexion pattern in (16) comes from. This question is the focus of Stausland Johnsen (2012), where a perceptual experiment reveals that the perceived distance between an alveolar and a retroflex is inversely related to the retroflexion hierarchy in (16). In other words, the perceived distances between alveolar [t d n] and retroflex [ʈ ɖ ɳ] are the smallest, and the perceived distance between alveolar [s] and retroflex [ʂ] before a vowel is the largest.…”

“…In other words, the perceived distances between alveolar [t d n] and retroflex [ʈ ɖ ɳ] are the smallest, and the perceived distance between alveolar [s] and retroflex [ʂ] before a vowel is the largest. For a fuller discussion of how this correlation between perception and phonology can best be explained, the reader is referred to Stausland Johnsen (2012).…”

“…Hovdhaugen 1969/1971:147; Endresen 1974:75), a view that is less common today (see Kristoffersen 2000:88f. ; Stausland Johnsen 2012:127). The difference between these two approaches has no bearing on the discussion in this paper.…”

“…The focus of this paper is to document a specific pattern of retroflexion in Norwegian. For a discussion of what the origin of this retroflexion pattern is, see Stausland Johnsen (2012).…”