Abstract

Previous investigators have shown that vowel duration decreases as number of syllables in a word increases, when carrier phases constitute the material. Umeda [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 52, 133(A) (1972;] found that, in many cases, there are no such differences of vowel duration in connected text. This investigation was conducted to provide a more direct comparison of results from connected text with those from carrier phrases. Two subjects, one of whom served in Umeda's study, read lists of monosyllabic and polysyllabic words in carrier phrases. Measurements were taken on duration of one vowel /æ/ in stressed syllables in words of varying duration. Data were further specified as to position of the stressed syllable and class of following consonant. Analyses of variance were computed separately for each subject and each class. Results confirm previous findings of decreased duration, at least up to three syllables. One subject showed statistically significant changes in duration in this study, while exhibiting no differences in the Umeda experiment. Apparently the dependence of vowel duration on a number of syllables is very sensitive to context. Details of this sensitivity will be discussed.

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