An aerodynamic study of stops with different phonation types

Abstract

Measurements were made of intraoral air pressure and oral airflow during the production of stops with different phonation types. The sounds investigated include Korean lenis and fortis, and Hindi voiced and murmured, stops. An aerodynamic model was used to simulate possible articulations which could produce air flows and pressures like those observed. For example, higher intraoral pressure and lower oral flow were found for Korean fortis as compared to lenis stops. This difference follows from a simulated difference in vocal tract wall tenseness. Furthermore, the right shape of intraoral pressure curves can be simulated with a difference in subglottal pressures. This analysis‐by‐synthesis approach, combining physiological measurements and articulatory modeling, provides new insights into differences in phonation types. [Work supported by USPHS grant NS 18163‐02 to Peter Ladefoged.]