An instrumental study of alveolar to velar assimilation in slow and fast speech using EPG and EMA techniques
This thesis evaluates the widely-held notion that place assimilation is (i) more frequent at faster rates of speech and (ii) a gradual phonetic process. The latter view is based on previous small-scale EPG studies which showed evidence of partial alveolar assimilations lacking complete stop closure on the alveolar ridge but with a residual tongue body gesture. For the present study, EPG data from 10 speakers were collected. Two experimental sequences, /n#k/ and /Ć#k/, embedded in meaningful sentences, were produced by subjects 10 times each in a slow/careful style and 10 times each in a fast/casual style. The first sequence captures the potential site of assimilation and the second is a lexical velar-velar sequence with which cases of complete assimilation can be compared. The results showed that, overall, assimilation was more frequent in fast speech than in careful speech, although timing analysis revealed that assimilation is not the automatic consequence of rate-induced changes in intergestural timing of /n#k/. In fast speech, six of the ten speakers showed relatively consistent assimilatory preferences: they either produced only complete assimilations or they never assimilated. However, four speakers
Ellis, Lucy A.
Speech and Hearing Sciences
An instrumental study of alveolar to velar assimilation in slow and fast speech using EPG and EMA techniques. This thesis evaluates the widely-held notion that place assimilation is (i) more frequent at faster rates of speech and (ii) a gradual phonetic process. The latter view is based on previous small-scale EPG studies which showed evidence of partial alveolar assimilations lacking complete stop closure on the alveolar ridge but with a residual tongue body gesture. For the present study, EPG data from 10 speakers were collected. Two experimental sequences, /n#k/ and /Ć#k/, embedded in meaningful sentences, were produced by subjects 10 times each in a slow/careful style and 10 times each in a fast/casual style. The first sequence captures the potential site of assimilation and the second is a lexical velar-velar sequence with which cases of complete assimilation can be compared. The results showed that, overall, assimilation was more frequent in fast speech than in careful speech, although timing analysis revealed that assimilation is not the automatic consequence of rate-induced changes in intergestural timing of /n#k/. In fast speech, six of the ten speakers showed relatively consistent assimilatory preferences: they either produced only complete assimilations or they never assimilated. However, four speakers
instrumental study velar assimilation slow fast speech use technique evaluate widely held notion place assimilation frequent faster rate speech gradual phonetic process latter view base previous small_scale study_show evidence partial assimilation lack complete stop closure ridge residual tongue body gesture present_study data speaker collect experimental sequence embed meaningful sentence produce subject time slow careful style time fast casual style first sequence capture potential site assimilation second lexical velar velar sequence case complete assimilation compare show overall assimilation frequent fast speech careful speech although timing analysis_reveal assimilation automatic consequence rate induced change time fast speech speaker show relatively consistent preference either produce complete assimilation never assimilate however speaker