On the categorical nature of Korean /pk/ place assimilation

Abstract

Korean exhibits regressive place assimilation in /pk/ clusters, which has been described as gradient and rate dependent. However, this assumption has empirically only been tested on the basis of air pressure data [Jun, 1996] which does not provide a direct record of articulator movement. The present study examines articulator movement using EMMA. For three Seoul-dialect speakers, stimuli containing /pk/ clusters were elicited word-medially (for words and nonwords) and in a phrase-boundary condition; two rates were employed. Results show that the labial can indeed reduce word medially, rendering [kk]. However, contrary to previous claims, the data demonstrate that reduction in /pk/ is always categorical, although it is optional or stochastic in its occurrence. Substantial interspeaker variation is observed, with the frequency of reduction being higher at fast rate and ranging overall from 6 at both rates and is never gradient. The lack of reduction in nonsense words and in the phrase boundary condition shows that the process is sensitive to lexical properties. The observed tendency for more gestural overlap word medially compared to the phrase-boundary condition supports the hypothesis that gestural overlap plays a role in the origins of place assimilation. [Work supported by NIH.]