Tape Cutting Experiments with Stop Consonants

Abstract

In Danish words with /p,t,k,b,d,g/+/i,a,u/, stop bursts, aspirations, and formant transitions have been removed and exchanged. [Danish /p,t,k/ are strongly aspirated (/t/ affricated), /b,d,g/ are voiceless.] 500 stimuli were presented to 21 listeners, who had to identify the words. Main results were: For the distinction between /p,t,k/ and /b,d,g/, the small difference in stop burst is insignificant, whereas the aspiration is decisive (a simple pause between burst and vowel is not sufficient). The duration of the aspiration is important, but the start of the vowel (noisy start of higher formants) may be sufficient for the identification of /p,t,k/, particularly before /a/, even with VOT values of 20–30 msec. For the identification of place of articulation the aspiration (affrication) of /p,t,k/ is sufficient except for /k/+/a/, but the burst is also sufficient except for t. In /b,d,g/ the transition is sufficient if it is extensive (e.g., /ba/, /da/, /ga/, /bi/, /du/); it is not enough that it points to the locus. The burst is necessary not only in velars before rounded vowels, as previously assumed, but also, for example, in /bu, /di/, and /gi/.