Rate-induced resyllabification revisited.

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a rate scaling speech production experiment which seeks to replicate and examine in greater detail the results of a set of experiments reported in Stetson (1951). Stetson observed, based on a set of pioneering articulatory experiments, that coda consonants resyllabify as onset consonants in syllables repeated at fast speech rates. In the current experiment, speakers produced repetitions of simple CV and VC syllables in time to a metronome pacer which systematically changed in period. Data indicate that, while durational patterns for CV and VC syllables are very different at slow rates, the patterns tend to converge at fast rates. However, closer examination of fast rate tokens, reveals that differences between CV and VC tokens persist at fast rates, even though such tokens are generally heard as CV tokens. These results are discussed with respect to the nature of CV and VC organization and the effect of the rate-changing task.