ERIC Number: EJ1216290
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1547-5441
EISSN: N/A
Hypo-Articulation of the Four-Way Voicing Contrast in Nepali Infant-Directed Speech
Benders, Titia; Pokharel, Sujal; Demuth, Katherine
Language Learning and Development, v15 n3 p232-254 2019
Hyper-articulation of vowel and consonant contrasts is often reported in infant-directed speech (IDS), but is not universal cross-linguistically, and may be a side-effect of speaking rate. This study investigated the voicing characteristics of the four-way oral stop voicing contrast in Nepali IDS. Both lead and lag time of word-onset/g, g[superscript voiced glottal fricative], k, k[superscript voiced glottal fricative]/were measured in the IDS and adult-directed speech (ADS) of 16 Nepali-speaking mothers. The lower prevalence of contrastive prevoicing and shorter lead times in IDS compared to ADS indicate "hypo"-articulated voicing contrasts. Shorter overall lag times in IDS suggest that stop consonants are less salient in IDS compared to ADS. These results cannot be explained as a side-effect of speaking rate, but rather suggest an increased salience for vowels compared to consonants within the IDS syllable. The implications for the acquisition of voicing contrasts are discussed.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Articulation (Speech), Child Language, Infants, Indo European Languages, Phonemes, Oral Language, Speech Communication, Vowels, Distinctive Features (Language), Phonology, Syllables
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A