The relevance of F4 in distinguishing between different articulatory configurations of American English /r/

Abstract

American English /r/ is often cited as a segment exemplifying a many-to-one articulatory to acoustic relationship. Articulatory data show a continuum of vocal tract configurations for /r/, ranging from ‘‘retroflexed’’ to ‘‘bunched,’’ all involving three constrictions: (1) in the pharynx, (2) along the palate, and (3) at the lips. Researchers have noted, however, that all of these configurations result in similar acoustic profiles, at least for F1, F2, and F3. In this study, acoustic and articulatory data were used to investigate the mechanisms which determine the shape of the F4 trajectory for /r/. Articulatory positioning data and simultaneous acoustic data were collected from five subjects who said the phrase ‘‘Say warav for me.’’ The Electromagnetic Midsagittal Articulometer (EMMA) system was used to record the positions of three points on the tongue. Preliminary analysis based on the y position of the front, mid, and back transducers suggests that the behavior of F4 changes with different /r/ configurations and that the frequency of F4 is based on the length of the cavity between the palatal and pharyngeal constrictions.