The Stop Voicing Contrast in French Sentences: Contextual Sensitivity of Vowel Duration, Closure Duration, Voice Onset Time, Stop Release and Closure Voicing

Abstract

This study examined the manner in which French speakers used some acoustic correlates to produce the stop voicing distinction in French sentences when syllables containing syllable initial and -final stops were between vowels (/pa_a/) and between voiceless fricatives (/pas_s/). Data analyses revealed that /b, d, g/ were longer, were more frequently phonated, and were preceded by longer vowels than /p, t, k/ in three conditions: syllable-initial stops between vowels and between voiceless fricatives and syllable-final stops between vowels. When a voiceless fricative /s/ followed /b, d, g/, the voicing contrast was reduced as a result of complete regressive voicing assimilation, achieved by the concomitant devoicing of /b, d, g/ closures and the significant reduction in voicing-related differences in preceding vowel and closure durations. When /s/ preceded /b, d, g/, the voicing distinction was enhanced: significant voicing-related duration differences were accompanied by the complete assimilation of /s/ to [z]. Overall,findings suggest that in French sentences, voicing assimilation is strictly regressive and complete assimilation is achieved by the covariation of several acoustic correlates, which attests to the complementarity of the underlying articulatory gestures.