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Reductive sound change and the perception/production interface

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2016

Randall Gess
Randall Gess*
Affiliation:
Carleton University
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Abstract

In this article, I propose a phonetically-oriented constraint-based model of speech production that differs from recent approaches in assuming preservation constraints that refer directly to articulatory gestures rather than to perceptual cues. Articulatory gesture preservation constraints interact with a constraint that penalizes the expenditure of articulatory effort. Specific constraints and rankings are projected from a static perceptual knowledge source. Before exploring the model in detail, I address evidence that has been used to argue against precisely this type of “Articulatory Phonology-inspired” approach. The evidence, used to justify the claim that lenition cannot be modeled as gestural reduction alone, is shown to be problematic.

Résumé

Résumé

Dans cet article, je propose un modèle de la production de parole qui est basé sur des contraintes et des principes phonétiques, et qui, contrairement à des approches récentes, fait référence directe aux gestes articulatoires et non pas aux traits perceptuels. Les contraintes de préservation des gestes articulatoires interagissent avec une contrainte qui pénalise la dépense d’efforts articulatoires. Les contraintes spécifiques et leurs classements sont projetés d’une source de connaissances perceptuelles statiques. Avant d’explorer le modèle en détail, je discute des données qui ont été avancées pour disputer l’adéquation de cette sorte d’approche, dite inspirée de la phonologie articulatoire. Je montre que ces données, avancées pour soutenir l’affirmation que la lénition ne peut pas être modelée comme la simple réduction des gestes, sont problématiques.

Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Linguistics/Revue canadienne de linguistique , Volume 54 , Issue 2 , July 2009 , pp. 229 - 253
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Linguistic Association/Association canadienne de linguistique 2009 

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