Articulatory properties of initial segments in several prosodic constituents in French

Abstract

This study reports on how what is usually called “segmental” articulation may be affected by prosodic structure. Articulatory properties of segments of various types are compared in initial position of four prosodic constituents in French: an Intonational Phrase, an Accentual Phrase, a Word and a Syllable. Modification of linguopalatal contact, nasal flow, acoustic measures of glottal articulation, as well as durational properties of segments are examined depending on these prosodic positions. Results show that the articulation of initial segments varies according to the prosodic level of the constituent. Initial segments in higher prosodic domains tend to have more linguopalatal contact, somewhat less nasal flow for nasals, and vowels tend to be more frequently glottalized than in initial position in lower domains. The magnitude and the realization of the articulatory modification observed in these positions is found to depend on speakers, articulators, and segment types. However, the regular trend observed suggests that these articulatory properties can reflect the prosodic encoding of constituents of various levels within utterances.