LING 314 WEEK 12

degree of constriction

a continuum of constriction exists between open and closed sounds

• vowels: vocal tract is most open

• stop consonants: most closed

tongue bracing

contact made by tongue with surfaces within oral cavity such as molars or other teeth and palate regions

• forces airflow through specific locations

• maintains stability and accuracy

• reduces tongue’s degrees of freedom

how does tongue bracing provide stability and precision

provides an anchor, enhances precision of sound production

• especially in rapid or complex speech

how does tongue bracing efficiently produce speech

by limiting movement options, bracing simplifies control over tongue

• faciliates more efficient speech articulation

how does tongue bracing provide feedbakc for adjustment

offers somatosensory feedback

• aids in adjustment of tongue position and movement for accurate sound articulation

lateral bracing

curcial for sounds requiring airflow to be directed along tongue’s midline

• involves side of tongue contacting inner sides of teeth or upper lateral regions of mouth

• provides mechanism for achieving different shapes of tube-like cavity by stabilizing tongue in back

medial bracing

essential for sounds that direct airflow laterally along sides of tongue (ex. lateral fricatives + lateral approximants)

• occurs when tongue makes contact with roof of mouth along its center

• provides mechanism for achieving a tight central seal when allowing air to escape laterally

approximants

lingual constrictions that are not tight enough to disrupt airflow

• retain some vocalic qualities, BUT tighter constrictions compared to vowels

turbelent constrictions

result from a tight constriction and specific tongue shapes that accelerate airflow, causing turbulence

• ex. fricatives

true or false:

degree of turbulence decreases with constriction

• it reaches a critical point that maximizes turbulence for that location

false

• degree of turbulence increases with constriction

true or false:

different lingual fricatives use varied tongue shapes

• lateral fricatives can be produced symmetrically or asymmetrically with airflow to create turbulence

true

periodic constrictions

result: trill of anterior tongue under certain conditions, similar to vocal fold phonation

• requires narrow constriction, proper airway shape behind constriction, and tenseness in vibrating body

closure constrictions

tongue must compress against opposing surface to withstand air pressure and create a tight seal

• ex. stops or plosives

• narrowest degree of consonant constriction

overshoot

concept where movement’s target is beyond point of constriction

• aids in creating a tight closure

closure constrictions with taps and flaps

minimal or no overshoot (representative of lighter or quicker stops)

• flaps: articulator briefly touches a surface then continues in same direction, often tangentially to alveolar ridge

locations of constrictions

phonologists refer to moving parts of the anatomy with features like [coronal], [dorsal], [ATR], and [labial]

tongue anterior constrictions

anterior part of the tongue is extremely flexible, enabling constrictions at various locations

• sounds can be articulated against the palate, teeth, or lips

muscles involved in tongue anterior constrictions

• transversus & verticalis: elongation & bracing

• SL: raising tongue front

• IL: stabilization

apical vs. laminal distinctions in tongue shape

whether the tongue tip or blade makes the constrictions

retroflex constrictions

curling the tongue tip backward, using underside of tongue against upper teeth & alveolar ridge

• oral cavity shape produces a recognizable alveolar ridge

• can either be bunched or curled (classic retroflex)

• contact between alveolar ridge and hard palate

muslce involved in retroflex constrictions

superior longitudinal muscle: facilitates retroflex productions

palatography

method used to study tongue-palate contact during speech

• used in articulatory ponetics

• 2 types: static & electropalatorgaphy (EPG)

static palatography

used for studying constriction in stop consonants & affricates

• uses powder or dye to mark tongue-palate contact

• captures contact pattern after speech production

advantages of static palatography

• simple and inexpensive

• good for single articulatory events

limitations of static palatography

• not dynamic, only captures one moment

• messy and intrusive

which areas are contacted in laminal dentals (static palatography)?

broad contact all along inside the surface of the upper teeth and beyond

which areas are contacted in laminal post-alveolar (static palatography)?

broad contact well behind upper teeth

which areas are contacted in apical alveolar (static palatography)?

narrow contact just behind the upper teeth

true or false:

static palatography is suitable for studying the strength of overshoot in coronal stops

false

electropalatrography

• real-time method to track tongue contact

• uses a custom-made artificial palate with electrodes

• records contact patterns dynamically

EPG output

advantages of EPG

• real time dynamic analysis

• repeatable and quantifiable

limitations of EPG

• expensive and requires custom palate

• only records contact, not pressure