Vowel-inherent spectral change in isolated vowels and consonant vowel consonants.

Abstract

To study the interaction of vowel inherent spectral change (VISC) and consonant context on vowel formant patterns, we recorded 15 vowels /i ɪ eɪ ε æ ʌ ɑ ɔ oU U u ɝ ɑɪ ɑU ɔɪ/ in each of 14 consonant environments (pVp, pVb, bVb, bVp, tVt, tVd, dVt, dVd, kVk, kVg, gVk, gVg, hVd, and V) spoken by 10 men and 10 women from the north Texas region. Analysis of vowel formant frequency trajectories confirmed the reliable presence of VISC across talkers for a range of consonant environments. Vowels showing stable patterns of VISC included those acknowledged as diphthongs in most North American English dialects, /ɑɪ/, /ɑU/, /ɔɪ/, /eɪ/, /oU/, as well as /ɪ/, with more variable movement patterns for /ε/, /æ/, and /u/. Of particular interest were cases where the formants F1 and/or F2 showed a “switchback” pattern of movement, with initial movement in the expected direction for the vowel (as observed in isolated vowels) and subsequently toward the“locus” for the final consonant. Parallel analyses of VISC in three dialects (north Texas, Nova Scotia, and Alberta) are currently underway and will be reported at the meeting along with statistical modeling results [Nearey (this meeting)].