Variation and universals in VOT: evidence from 18 languages

Abstract

Voice onset time (VOT) is known to vary with place of articulation. For any given place of articulation there are differences from one language to another. Using data from multiple speakers of 18 languages, all of which were recorded and analyzed in the same way, we show that most, but not all, of the within language place of articulation variation can be described by universally applicable phonetic rules (although the physiological bases for these rules are not entirely clear). The between language variation is also largely (but not entirely) predictable by assuming that languages choose one of the three possibilities for the degree of aspiration of voiceless stops. Some languages, however, have VOTs that are markedly different from the generally observed values. The phonetic output of a grammar has to contain language specific components to account for these results.