Closure duration and release burst amplitude cues to stop consonant manner and place of articulation.

Abstract

The perception of stop consonants was studied in a constant neutral [s-1] context. Truncated natural [p] , [t], and [k] release bursts at two intensities were preceded by variable silent closure intervals. The bursts, though spectrally distinct, conveyed little specific place information but contributed to the perception of stop manner by reducing the amount of silence required to perceive a stop (relative to a burstless stimulus). Burst amplitude was a cue for both stop manner and place; higher amplitudes favored "t," lower amplitudes favored "p" responses. The silent closure interval, a major stop manner cue, emerged as the primary place cue in this situation: Short intervals led to "t," long ones to "p" responses. All these perceptual effects probably reflect listeners' tacit knowledge of systematic acoustic differences in natural speech.