Duration of English stops in prestressed position

Abstract

Durational characteristics of English stops in prestressed position, both in singleton and in clusters, are examined in detail using a data base designed for controlled acoustic phonetic research. [Victor W. Zue, “Acoustic phonetic data base for the study of selected English Constants, consonant clusters, and vowels,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 57, S34(A) (1975)]. The study being presented here is based on the analysis of some 1200 stops spoke by 3 male speakers. Results indicate systematic variations of closure, voice-onset time, frication, and aspiration durations as a function of: (1) the voicing characteristics of the stop; (2) the place of articulation of the stop; and (3) the phonetic environment (i.e., the influence of the following vowel for singleton stops, and the influence of the preceding fricative and/or the following sonorant for clusters). Results on inter- and intraspeaker variability will also be discussed.