Pre-coda vowel duration in Nepali

Abstract

Many previous studies have found that vowels are longer before voiced consonants than voiceless (Chen 1970). Fewer studies have examined vowel duration preceding aspirated vs. unaspirated stops, and results are inconsistent (Maddieson & Grandour 1976, Ohala & Ohala 1992). Durvasala and Luo (2012) find that both voicing and aspiration have a lengthening effect on the preceding vowel in Hindi, and that the voiced aspirated class has the longest preceding vowel duration. In the present study, I measure the duration of vowels preceding word final codas in Nepali, an Indo-Aryan language with the same four-way contrast as Hindi. A phonetic study of final stop realization has not yet been reported in the literature, though Nepali is described as variably neutralizing voiced aspirated to the plain voiced. I present an acoustic analysis of cues in word-final position including voicing, burst, and preceding vowel duration. I find evidence of neutralization of voiced and voiced aspirated stops in terms of aspiration duration, but also find results consistent with Durvasala and Luo (2012), that the voiced aspirated stops have longer preceding vowel than the voiced. The difference in vowel duration between the voiced and voiced aspirated classes suggests incomplete neutralization of voiced aspirated to voiced.Many previous studies have found that vowels are longer before voiced consonants than voiceless (Chen 1970). Fewer studies have examined vowel duration preceding aspirated vs. unaspirated stops, and results are inconsistent (Maddieson & Grandour 1976, Ohala & Ohala 1992). Durvasala and Luo (2012) find that both voicing and aspiration have a lengthening effect on the preceding vowel in Hindi, and that the voiced aspirated class has the longest preceding vowel duration. In the present study, I measure the duration of vowels preceding word final codas in Nepali, an Indo-Aryan language with the same four-way contrast as Hindi. A phonetic study of final stop realization has not yet been reported in the literature, though Nepali is described as variably neutralizing voiced aspirated to the plain voiced. I present an acoustic analysis of cues in word-final position including voicing, burst, and preceding vowel duration. I find evidence of neutralization of voiced and voiced aspirated stops in terms of aspiration...