Lexical frequency as a scalar variable in explaining variation

File-Muriel, Richard J.

doi:10.1017/s0008413100001353

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 23 publications

(21 reference statements)

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“…In the usage-based model of phonology and in exemplar theory (Bybee, 2001, 2006), the claim is made that high-frequency lexical items or phrases generally undergo regular sound change before low-frequency words. In the case of Spanish /s/ lenition, a number of recent studies (Bybee, 2002; E. K. Brown, 2009a, 2009b; E. L. Brown, 2005; E. L. Brown & Torres Cacoullos, 2002, 2003; File-Muriel, 2009, 2010; Minnick Fox, 2006) have demonstrated that /s/ is more likely to be lenited in more frequent words.…”

Section: Previous Studies and Their Methodologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The gradient nature ofs-lenition in Caleño Spanish

File-Muriel¹,

Brown

2011

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Previous research on /s/-lenition in Spanish has relied almost exclusively on impressionistic coding for the independent variable "/s/-realization" (cf. Brown 2008, File-Muriel 2009, Poplack 1979, Terrell 1979. In these studies, researchers are limited to the available devices accorded to them by the International Phonetic Alphabet (e.g. /s/ as [s], [z], [h], Ø, etc.). Although auditory acoustic analysis (i.e. transcription) is an extremely useful descriptive device, it can be influenced by the transcriber's background and expectations. Additionally, acoustic details are lost when tokens are forced into categorical groupings, such as short vs. long duration. The present study examines the production of /s/ by eight university students from Cali, Colombia in informal sociolinguistic interviews. This research departs from the audio transcription tradition, proposing a metric for quantifying the realization of /s/ by employing three scalar dependent variables: center of gravity, /s/ duration, and percentage of voicing. Such a method is less vulnerable to bias, given that it is based on acoustic measurements that are not necessarily perceptible to the human ear. The results of the linear regressions indicate that the dependent variables are significantly conditioned by a variety of linguistic factors: lexical frequency, local speaking rate, stress, speaker, position within the syllable, the preceding and following phonological context, word length, and lexical class. The magnitude of effect trends are elucidated by predicted probability plots. For example, as lexical frequency increases, /s/ duration decreases, center of gravity decreases, and percentage of voicing increases, all indicative of lenition. We argue that /s/ lenition is better explained in gradient terms, rather than categorical ones. This paper contributes to the growing body of literature documenting the influence of frequency effects on this otherwise well-studied phenomenon of phonological variation and change.

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Section: Previous Studies and Their Methodologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The gradient nature ofs-lenition in Caleño Spanish

File-Muriel¹,

Brown

2011

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“…Apart from the inherent problem of deciding on the appropriate source for the measurement of frequency, the restriction to nominal factor groups forces us to make arbitrary decisions about categorizing frequency (Pierrehumbert, 2006:519). Thus, if frequency has the consistent, monotonic effect predicted by a usage-based account, this effect may be masked by dividing the continuum of frequency into discrete categories (File-Muriel, 2010:19). However, if frequency effects simply reflect the skewed distribution of morphological categories across frequency categories, GoldVarb provides no way of taking this skewing into account.…”

Section: (T/d)-deletion In Toronto Englishmentioning

confidence: 99%

Form, function, and frequency in phonological variation

Walker

2012

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Formal and usage-based approaches to phonology make competing predictions that can be tested with variationist methodology. This paper investigates formal, functional, and frequency effects on (t/d)-deletion in Canadian English. Although initial results suggest a correlation between lexical frequency and deletion, once interaction and lexical effects are taken into account, only phonological and morphological factor groups are significant. Previous reports of frequency effects may result from different measurements of frequency and the contribution of overlapping factor groups. These results suggest that frequency does not operate monotonically but interacts dynamically with the lexicon.

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“…For our second research question on the linguistic/social predictors of SCPS /s/, the findings of our logistic regressions (based on the discrete coding) suggest that following stop consonant is the most robust predictor of /s/ realization: /st/ favors alveolar fricatives, /sk/ favors velar fricatives, and /sp/ favors glottal fricatives/deletions. This is not the first study to indicate a strong effect of the following phonological context on Spanish coda /s/ (see Méndez Dosuna 1985, Brown 2009, File-Muriel 2010. In a study of /s/ across post-consonantal contexts, Brown (2009) shows that following /t/ most commonly favors /s/ retention when compared to all other following consonants (a finding supporting the claim that Spanish adopts regressive assimilatory processes to a greater extent than progressive assimilatory processes; Schwegler, Kempff & Ameal-Guerra 2010: 243-246;File-Muriel & Brown 2011: 239).…”

Section: Answering the Research Questionsmentioning

confidence: 80%

Investigating lenition patterns in south-central Peninsular Spanish /`spstsk`/ clusters

Henriksen¹,

Harper²

2016

Journal of the International Phonetic Association

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In this study we report on an instrumental analysis of /spstsk/ clusters in south-central Peninsular Spanish, documenting a three-way system of /s/ realization: speakers tend to produce alveolar fricatives in /st/ clusters, velar fricatives in /sk/ clusters, and glottal fricatives or deletions in /sp/ clusters. An analysis based on the discrete classification of /s/ variants shows that a combination of linguistic factors (following consonant and stress) influences /s/ realization. An analysis based on the phonetic coding of /s/ variants (using measures of fricative duration, relative voicing, and center of gravity) reveals the extent to which velar fricatives display an intermediate status along the phonetic continuum of /s/ lenition variations. Taken together, these analyses shed light on the nature of coda /s/ in Spanish and on the extent to which the attested allophony constitutes a lenition process.

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Lexical frequency as a scalar variable in explaining variation

Cited by 10 publications

References 23 publications

The gradient nature ofs-lenition in Caleño Spanish

The gradient nature ofs-lenition in Caleño Spanish

Form, function, and frequency in phonological variation

Investigating lenition patterns in south-central Peninsular Spanish /`spstsk`/ clusters

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Lexical frequency as a scalar variable in explaining variation

Cited by 10 publications

References 23 publications

The gradient nature ofs-lenition in Caleño Spanish

The gradient nature ofs-lenition in Caleño Spanish

Form, function, and frequency in phonological variation

Investigating lenition patterns in south-central Peninsular Spanish /spstsk/ clusters

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Investigating lenition patterns in south-central Peninsular Spanish /`spstsk`/ clusters