Language-specific realizations of syllable structure and vowel-to-vowel coarticulation

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of syllable structure on vowel-to-vowel (V-to-V) coarticulation using Thai and English data. Languages differ in syllable complexity and their realizations of syllable structure. It was hypothesized that languages with complex syllable structure (English) would allow more V-to-V coarticulation than languages with simple syllable structure (Thai). Onset and coda consonants are different acoustically, articulatorily, typologically and perceptually. Onsets are generally 'stronger' and more stable than codas because they are longer, louder, and involve tighter articulatory constrictions. It was hypothesized that closed syllables (that end in a consonant C, i.e., VC#V) would allow more V-to-V coarticulation than open syllables (V#CV). /C(1)V(1)#C(2)V(2)/ and /C(1)V(1)C(2)#V(2)t/ sequences were recorded from six native speakers in Thai and six in English. First and second formant frequencies were measured. Results show that English allows more V-to-V coarticulation than Thai regardless of the intervocalic duration and vowel quality difference, but open and closed syllables only affect V-to-V coarticulation minimally. In addition to syllable structure, other possible factors contributing to the language difference in V-to-V coarticulation are discussed.

Strength of syllabic influences on articulation in Mandarin Chinese and French: Insights from a motor control approach

“…Thai and Southern British English were selected because of the differences in the complexity of syllable structure. According to Mok (2010) As regards the link between syllable structure complexity and vowel-to-vowel coarticulation, our observations are convergent with Mok's (2010) hypothesis. As shown above in section 2.1, the syllable structure in French is more complex than in Mandarin Chinese.…”

“…As shown above in section 2.1, the syllable structure in French is more complex than in Mandarin Chinese. Our results are stronger than Mok's (2010): while she observed vowel-to-vowel coarticulation in both languages, the one in English being more important than the one in Thai, we observed in Mandarin Chinese significant influence of V 2 on V 1 in only one case, a case which was in opposition with anticipatory behaviour. The influence of syllable boundaries in Mandarin Chinese therefore seems to be even stronger than in Thai.…”

“…Syllable strength would not be the consequence of the simplicity of the structure, but the simplicity would be the consequence of the fact that syllable is a strong unit of motor planning. The causality link between simplicity of the syllable structure and the strength of the syllable would be precisely the inverse of the one proposed by Mok's (2010) hypothesis. The relation between syllable structure complexity and vowel-to-vowel coarticulation could be due to general motor control principles rather than to more abstract linguistic properties (plurality of the "cues").…”

Long-Distance Vowel-to-Vowel Coarticulation in Arabic: Influences of Intervening Consonant Pharyngealization and Length

“…Earlier findings supported the intuitive notion that languages with more crowded vowel spaces should tend to allow less VV coarticulation than those with smaller vowel inventories (Manuel, 1990;Manuel & Krakow, 1984), but this has not been consistently supported by subsequent research (Beddor et al, 2002;Bradlow, 1995;Choi & Keating, 1991;Han, 2007;Mok, 2010Mok, , 2013. Mok (2010Mok ( , 2012 argues that such differences in coarticulatory tendencies across languages might be better explained by differences in syllable structure, such that languages allowing more complex syllable types might tend to allow more VV coarticulation than languages that are more restrictive in this way. The key idea here is that in more complex syllables-that is, those having more consonants-the functional load on the vowel is less, so that more variation there is permissible.…”

Syllable Structure Universals and Native Language Interference in Second Language Perception and Production: Positional Asymmetry and Perceptual Links to Accentedness

“…The current data supplement these models by highlighting the role of syllable structure in learning L2 consonants. Further research efforts, including speech training, are needed to extend to the study of more complex syllable structure involving consonant clusters and the contribution of vowel contexts (e.g., Mok, 2010 ) and refine the multi-factor models as well as the underlying neural mechanisms that promote or limit neural plasticity in L2 acquisition ( Greenberg, 2005 ; Zhang and Wang, 2007 ; Flege and MacKay, 2011 ). In addition to phonemic inventory, acoustic, and allophonic variations, suprasegmental phonotactic and phonological factors (including syllable-structure universals, co-articulation, assimilation, dissimilation, stress, and prosody), and the nature of linguistic input as shown in the recent development of corpus phonology ( Durand et al, 2014 ) would all influence adult L2 learners’ perception and production.…”