Towards an articulatory phonology

Articulatory Phonology ◽

Physical Description ◽

Temporal Properties ◽

Definition Of

ABSTRACTWe propose an approach to phonological representation based on describing an utterance as an organised pattern of overlapping articulatory gestures. Because movement is inherent in our definition of gestures, these gestural ‘constellations’ can account for both spatial and temporal properties of speech in a relatively simple way. At the same time, taken as phonological representations, such gestural analyses offer many of the same advantages provided by recent nonlinear phonological theories, and we give examples of how gestural analyses simplify the description of such ‘complex segments’ as /s/–stop clusters and prenasalised stops. Thus, gestural structures can be seen as providing a principled link between phonological and physical description.

Introduction

Speech Timing ◽

10.1093/oso/9780198795421.003.0001 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Alice Turk ◽

Stefanie Shattuck-Hufnagel

Keyword(s):

Production Planning ◽

Planning Process ◽

General Purpose ◽

Component Model ◽

Motor Timing ◽

Articulatory Phonology ◽

Dynamic Framework ◽

Speech Motor

This chapter summarizes the ideas that led to this book. Articulatory Phonology in the Task Dynamic framework (AP/TD) takes a very different approach from traditional Symbolic Phonology. That is, phonological representations in AP/TD are spatiotemporal, whereas a model developed from generative phonology has symbolic, atemporal phonology. This difference in phonological representation has significant implications for the architecture of the production planning process, which must account for the quantitative details of surface phonetic form. Findings in the literature on general motor timing and particularly on speech motor timing suggest that it is time to re-evaluate these two approaches. These findings motivate the development of a symbol-based, three-component model with separate phonological and phonetic planning components, as well as a motor–sensory implementation component, all guided by general purpose timekeeping mechanisms that are extrinsic to the phonology.

Multiple scansions in loanword phonology: evidence from Cantonese

Phonology ◽

10.1017/s0952675700001627 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 289-328 ◽

Cited By ~ 125

Author(s):

Daniel Silverman

Keyword(s):

Acoustic Signal ◽

Native Speakers ◽

Prosodic Structure ◽

Phonological Structure ◽

Loanword Phonology ◽

Phonological System

In loanword phonology we seek to uncover the processes by which speakers possessing one phonological system perceive, apply native representational constraints on, and ultimately produce forms which have been generated by a different phonological system. We are interested in how speakers instantiate segmental and prosodic structure on an input which may or may not abide by native rules. Crucial to this assumed strategy is the idea that loanwords do not come equipped with their own phonological representation. For any phonetic string, it is only native speakers for whom a fully articulated phonological structure is present; as we will see, the input to loanword phonology is merely a superficial non-linguistic acoustic signal. Thus as host-language speakers perceive foreign forms in accordance with their indigenous phonological system, they instantiate native phonological representations on the acoustic signal, fitting the superficial input into the native phonological system as closely as possible.

Summary and conclusion

Speech Timing ◽

10.1093/oso/9780198795421.003.0011 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 313-320

Author(s):

Alice Turk ◽

Stefanie Shattuck-Hufnagel

Keyword(s):

Motor Control ◽

Alternative Model ◽

General Purpose ◽

Articulatory Phonology ◽

Phonetic Variation ◽

Comprehensive Account ◽

Timing Mechanisms ◽

Phonological Planning ◽

Speech Planning

This volume compares two very different approaches to modeling speech planning: Articulatory Phonology, with quantitative phonological representations and a set of phonology-intrinsic timing mechanisms, and XT/3C, an alternative model with non-quantitative symbolic phonological representations and general-purpose phonology-extrinsic timing mechanisms. It argues that the motor-control literature for both speech and non-speech supports the XT/3C approach, which expands on earlier models based on Generative Phonology to include a Phonological Planning Component to set the symbolic goals for an utterance, a separate Phonetic Planning Component to provide the quantitative target specifications for the utterance, and a Motor-Sensory Implementation Component to track and adjust the movements required to reach those targets on time. It preserves the insights of a symbol-based phonology, while also providing a comprehensive account of systematic phonetic variation, including timing.

Lexical restructuring in preliterate children: Evidence from novel measures of phonological representation

Applied Psycholinguistics ◽

10.1017/s0142716415000338 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 37 (4) ◽

pp. 997-1023 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

STEPHANIE AINSWORTH ◽

STEPHEN WELBOURNE ◽

ANNE HESKETH

Keyword(s):

Preschool Children ◽

Phonetic Detail ◽

Lexical Restructuring

ABSTRACTThere is substantial debate in the literature surrounding the development of children's phonological representations (PRs). Although infant studies have shown children's representations to contain fine phonetic detail, a consensus is yet to be reached about how and when phonemic categories emerge. This study used novel implicit PR measures with preschool children (n= 38, aged 3 years, 6 months to 4 years, 6 months) to test predictions made by these competing accounts of PR development. The measures were designed to probe PR segmentation at the phoneme (rather than the phone) level without requiring an explicit awareness of phonemes. The results provide evidence in support of vocabulary driven restructuring, with PR segmentation found to be related to vocabulary when controlling for age.

Libras and Articulatory Phonology

Gradus - Revista Brasileira de Fonologia de Laboratório ◽

10.47627/gradus.v3i1.121 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 103-124

Author(s):

Adelaide H. P. Silva ◽

André Nogueira Xavier

Keyword(s):

General Theory ◽

Sign Language ◽

Spoken Language ◽

Articulatory Phonology ◽

New Approach ◽

Signed Languages ◽

Signed Language ◽

Brazilian Sign Language ◽

Traditional Approaches

This paper proposes a new approach to the phonological representation of Brazilian Sign Language (Libras). We depart from the observation that traditional analyses have overlooked features of signed languages which have no (exact) correspondence in spoken languages. Moreover, traditional approaches impose spoken language theoretical constructs on signed languages analyses and, by doing so, they disregard the possibility that signed languages follow different principles, as well as that analytical categories for spoken languages may be inaccurate for signed languages. Therefore, we argue that an approach grounded on a general theory of movement can account for signed language phonology in a more accurate way. Following Articulatory Phonology, we propose the analytical primes for a motor-oriented phonological approach to Libras, i.e., we determine which are the articulatory gestures that constitute the lexical items in a signed language. Besides, we propose a representation for the sign BEETLE-CAR in terms of a gestural score, and explain how gestures coordinate in relation to each other. As it is discussed, this approach allows us to more satisfactorily explain cases of variation attested in our data.

Quantifying phonological representation abilities in Spanish-speaking preschool children

Applied Psycholinguistics ◽

10.1017/s0142716410000275 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 19-49 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

JASON L. ANTHONY ◽

RACHEL G. AGHARA ◽

EMILY J. SOLARI ◽

MARTHA J. DUNKELBERGER ◽

JEFFREY M. WILLIAMS ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Preschool Children ◽

Phonological Processing ◽

A Priori ◽

The United States ◽

Current Data ◽

Confirmatory Factor Analyses ◽

Processing Abilities

ABSTRACTIndividual differences in abilities to form, access, and hone phonological representations of words are implicated in the development of oral and written language. This study addressed three important gaps in the literature concerning measurement of individual differences in phonological representation. First, we empirically examined the dimensionality of phonological representation abilities. Second, we empirically compared how well typical measures index various representation-related phonological processing abilities. Third, we supply data on Spanish phonological representation abilities of incipient Spanish–English bilingual children to address the need for information on phonological representation across languages. Specifically, nine measures of accessibility to and precision of phonological presentations were administered to 129 preschool children in the United States. Confirmatory factor analyses validated three separate but correlated a priori phonological processing abilities, that is, efficiency of accessing phonological codes, precision of phonological codes as reflected in speech production, and precision of phonological codes as reflected in speech perception. Most prototypic measures were strong indicators of their respective representation-related phonological ability. We discuss how the current data in Spanish compares to limited data in English, and the implications for the organization of phonological representations abilities.

A Methodology for the Spatiotemporal Identification of Compound Hazards: Wind and Precipitation Extremes in Great Britain (1979–2019)

10.5194/esd-2021-52 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Aloïs Tilloy ◽

Bruce Malamud ◽

Amélie Joly-Laugel

Keyword(s):

Great Britain ◽

Extreme Precipitation ◽

Extreme Values ◽

Spatial Clustering ◽

Precipitation Extremes ◽

Wind Gust ◽

Spatial And Temporal Scales ◽

Temporal Properties ◽

Wind Events ◽

Definition Of

Abstract. Compound hazards are two different natural hazards that impact the same time period and spatial area. Compound hazards can have a footprint that can operates on different spatial and temporal scales than their component single hazards. This article proposes a definition of compound hazards in space and time and presents a methodology for the Spatiotemporal Identification of Compound Hazards (SI–CH). The approach is applied to the analysis of compound precipitation and wind extremes in Great Britain from which we create a database. Hourly precipitation and wind gust values for 1979–2019 are extracted from climate reanalysis (ERA5) within a region including Great Britain and the British channel. Extreme values (above the 99 % quantile) of precipitation and wind gust are clustered with the Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) algorithm, creating clusters for precipitation and for wind gusts. Compound hazard clusters that correspond to the spatial overlap of single hazard clusters during the aggregated duration of the two hazards are then identified. Our ERA5 Hazard Clusters Database (given as a supplement) consists of 18,086 precipitation clusters, 6190 wind clusters, and 4555 compound hazard clusters. The methodology’s ability to identify extreme precipitation and wind events is assessed with a catalogue of 157 significant events (96 extreme precipitation and 61 extreme wind events) that occurred in Great Britain over the period 1979–2019 (also given as a supplement). We find a good agreement between the SI–CH outputs and the catalogue with an overall hit rate (ratio between the number of joint events and the total number of events) of 93.7 %. The spatial variation of hazard intensity within wind, precipitation and compound hazard clusters are then visualised and analysed. The study finds that the SI–CH approach (given as R code in supplement) can accurately identify single and compound hazard events and represent spatial and temporal properties of compound hazard events. We find that compound wind and precipitation extremes, despite occurring on smaller scales than single extremes, can occur on large scales in Great Britain with a decreasing spatial scale when the combined intensity of the hazards increases.

Phonological representation of novel morphemes in children with SLI and typically developing children

Applied Psycholinguistics ◽

10.1017/s0142716401003058 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 363-382 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

MEGAN J. CRIDDLE ◽

KEVIN DURKIN

Keyword(s):

Language Ability ◽

Processing Capacity ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Typically Developing Children ◽

Perceptual Salience ◽

Grammatical Morphemes

This article addresses whether phonological representation is an area of weakness for children with SLI and whether it contributes to their difficulty with grammatical morphemes. Bishop (1997) proposed that children with SLI form phonological representations more slowly than typically developing children. This hypothesis was investigated by exposing a group of children with SLI and a group of typically developing children, matched for language ability, to novel morphemes. Their ability to detect phonemic changes from the target morpheme was tested. Children with SLI were less able than typically developing children to detect changes when the morphemes were presented in nonfinal utterance positions. Hence, children with SLI were less able to form fully specified phonological representations of morphemes in conditions of low perceptual salience. The results are interpreted within a limited processing capacity framework.

Phonology-extrinsic timing: Support for an alternative approach I

Speech Timing ◽

10.1093/oso/9780198795421.003.0004 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 64-101

Author(s):

Alice Turk ◽

Stefanie Shattuck-Hufnagel

Keyword(s):

General Purpose ◽

Surface Time ◽

Alternative Approach ◽

Timing Mechanisms ◽

Temporal Aspects ◽

Phonological Length ◽

Phonological System

This chapter presents evidence that challenges models in which phonological representations are temporal in nature, and where timing mechanisms are phonology-specific and intrinsic to the phonology. For example, evidence for separate representations of 1) movement targets vs. other parts of movement, and 2) spatial vs. temporal aspects, is difficult to account for in phonology-intrinsic timing approaches, where all parts of movement are determined by the same, spatiotemporal phonological representation. In the AP/TD phonology-intrinsic-timing approach, surface time is not represented, specified, or tracked, but instead emerges from the phonological system. Evidence that speakers do in fact represent surface time motivates the consideration of a phonology-extrinsic-timing-based approach. This evidence comes from actors’ interactions with perceived events, and also from speech: 1) constraints on the amounts of structure-related lengthening to maintain phonological length contrasts in quantity languages, and 2) different articulatory strategies for producing a given duration pattern. Finally, evidence for general-purpose timekeeping mechanisms in speech and non-speech movements is discussed.

Speech Timing

10.1093/oso/9780198795421.001.0001 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Alice Turk ◽

Stefanie Shattuck-Hufnagel

Keyword(s):

Speech Production ◽

Production Planning ◽

Planning Process ◽

Planning System ◽

Motor Timing ◽

Articulatory Phonology ◽

Speech Timing ◽

Timing Mechanisms ◽

Speech Motor

This is a book about the architecture of the speech-production planning process and speech motor control. It is written in reaction to a debate in the literature about the nature of phonological representations, which are proposed to be spatiotemporal by some, and symbolic (atemporal) by others. Making this choice about the nature of phonological representation has several fundamental implications for the architecture of the speech-production planning system, notably with regard to the number of planning components and the type of timing mechanisms. In systems with symbolic phonological representations, a separate phonetic planning component is required for speakers to plan the details of surface timing and spatial characteristics for each context. In contrast, the Articulatory Phonology system, which proposes spatiotemporal phonological representations, has a very different architecture, with fewer components. These contrasting assumptions about the spatiotemporal vs. symbolic nature of phonological representations have important consequences for how these two approaches deal with timing issues. This is because time is intrinsic to phonological representations in Articulatory Phonology, but is not part of symbolic phonology. These two proposals are evaluated in light of existing literature on speech and non-speech timing behavior. Evidence that challenges the Articulatory Phonology model inspired a sketch of a new model of the production process, based on symbolic phonological representations and a separate phonetic planning component to specify surface-timing details. This approach provides an appropriate account of what is known about motor timing in general and speech timing in particular. Keywords