C-V and V-C Co-articulation in Cantonese

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary WorksRGC 12 - Chapter in an edited book (Author)peer-review

Abstract

The present study investigates the co-articulation strength (CS) between the initial/final consonants and the neighboring vowels in Cantonese CV, VC, and CVC monosyllables, where C = [p t k] and V = [i a u]. EMA AG500 was used for recording the articulatory actions of the tongue and the lips during the test syllables. The findings based on the articulatory data collected from two male Cantonese speakers are as follows. First, CS is strong (i) between the initial [p-] and the following [i] or [u], but not [a], and (ii) between the final [-p] and a preceding vowel of any type. Second, CS is weak (i) between the initial [t-] and the following vowel of any type and (ii) between the final [-t] and the preceding [u], but not [i] or [a]. Third, CS is weak between the initial [k-] and the following [a], but not [i] or [u], however high between the final [-k] and the preceding [a]. In general, (i) the order of decreasing CS for both C-V and V-C co-articulation is when C = [p] > C = [k] > C = [t] and (ii) the degree of CS is higher in the VC than the CV context. The findings support the phonological structuring of the syllable, wherein the final consonant (or syllable coda), but not the initial consonant (or syllable onset), and the preceding vowel (or syllable nucleus) form the phonological unit of the rhyme.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationStudies on Speech Production
Subtitle of host publication11th International Seminar, ISSP 2017, Revised Selected Papers
EditorsQiang Fang, Jianwu Dang, Pascal Perrier, Jianguo Wei, Longbiao Wang, Nan Yan
Place of PublicationSwitzerland
PublisherSpringer, Cham
Pages111-120
ISBN (Electronic)978-3-030-00126-1
ISBN (Print)978-3-030-00125-4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018
Event11th International Seminar on Speech Production, ISSP 2017 - Tianjin, China
Duration: 16 Oct 201719 Oct 2017

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence)
PublisherSpringer, Cham
Volume10733
ISSN (Print)0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)1611-3349

Conference

Conference11th International Seminar on Speech Production, ISSP 2017
Country/TerritoryChina
CityTianjin
Period16/10/1719/10/17

Bibliographical note

Full text of this publication does not contain sufficient affiliation information. With consent from the author(s) concerned, the Research Unit(s) information for this record is based on the existing academic department affiliation of the author(s).

Research Keywords

  • Cantonese
  • Co-articulation
  • Consonant
  • Vowel

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