MAPPING SPEECH OUTPUT & PERCEPTUAL CAPACITY

USING NON-LINEAR PHONOLOGY

Kate Mairs Queen’s University, Belfast

TopicSpeech OutputPerceptual Capacity

Overview

Phonology

The study of the sound system of language

Linear Phonology

The presentation of a sequence of sounds, composed of simultaneously

occurring distinctive features in a single row.

asked → ɑskt

/d/ → [t] k__#

Non-Linear Phonology

Phonological phenomena do not operate in a single linear sequence of segments.

Feature GeometryGovernment Phonology

Sonority

Investigating & Mapping Output

The Study

Methods

Challenges

Jon

dɔmɪməʊ

ɛfəlɪnt

slaiŋ

Feature Geometry

/n/ → [m] / m__#

Feature Geometry

Feature Geometry

NB: Category labels

Government Phonology

U

R

A

I

h

ʔ

alveolar

labial

aperiodic

energy

pharyngeal / uvular

coronal

occluded

/f/ → [s] / #l

Government Phonology

Phonemes

fl slLabiodent

al Fricative

f

Alveolar Lateral Approxima

nt l

Alveolar Fricative

s

Alveolar Lateral Approxima

nt l

Primes

hAperiodic

ULabial

RCoronal

ʔOccluded

Sonority

ɛləfɪnts & ɛfəlɪnts

Image: wikipedia.org

Sonority

Oral Stops Fricatives Nasals

Liquids

Semivowels

VowelsVoicele

ssVoiced

Voiceless

Voiced

High Low

p b f v m          

t d θ ð n     j i a

k g s z ŋ l r w u ɑ

Geigerich’s Sonority Scale LOW HIGH

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Researcher Allocated Sonority Score

Sonority 

Investigating and Mapping Perceptual Capability

Research Question

What was the distance between Jon’s perceptual system and

productive ability?

Methods

Picture identification (perceptual skill)

Sound reproduction (productive skill)sl / fl

Findings

Success in Perceiving 91%

Success in Producing 62%

Non-Linear Phonology

Linear Phonology

Perception: fl fl #__

Perception / production error: fl fl sl #__

 

Why does it matter?

Clinical settings Importance of perceptive system Underlying issues

Research settings Links between systems Working memory & speech acquisition

Conclusions

Conflates two systems in a single notation

Articulatory organisation breakdown

Unique insight into whole system