Timing of glottal events in the production of aspiration after [s

Abstract

Photoglottograms of the cluster [st – ] and of the sequences of [s] and [th], both consonants being separated by a word boundary or by a morpheme boundary, were examined. It was found that the cluster [st – ] is articulated with one peak of glottal opening. The sequences of [s] and [th] are in most cases articulated with two peaks of glottal opening. They can be articulated with one peak of glottal opening, too. The difference between [st – ] and [s + th] is then one of timing alone. It is argued that the data examined provide some evidence that there are independent phoneme commands underlying the glottal gestures.