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ERIC Number: EJ784261
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Nov
Pages: 41
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0169-0965
EISSN: N/A
Nasal and Oral Consonant Similarity in Speech Errors: Exploring Parallels with Nasal Consonant Harmony
Walker, Rachel
Language and Cognitive Processes, v22 n7 p1073-1113 Nov 2007
Previous research has found that "similar" sounds interact in phonological nasal consonant harmony, wherein certain consonants become nasals when the word contains a nasal (e.g., Kikongo: /-kun-idi/ [right arrow] [-kun-ini] "planted"). Across languages, stops and approximants are chiefly affected, especially voiced consonants and ones that match in place of articulation with the nasal. Three experiments investigated whether a parallel occurs in consonants showing greater likelihood to interact in speech errors with nasals. The experiments, which elicited errors using the SLIPS technique with English speakers, revealed the following asymmetries in consonants' participation in errors with nasals: (i) voiced stops ("b, d") greater than voiceless stops ("p, t"), (ii) voiced stops with same place greater than voiced stops with different place, and (iii) approximants ("r, l") greater than voiceless stops ("p, t"). These correlate with preferentially affected segments in nasal consonant harmony. The data support a uniform phonological similarity scaling for nasal-oral consonants across phonological harmony processes and speech errors. Further, they are consistent with theoretical proposals that consonant harmony has functional origins in facilitating language production. (Contains 1 figure, 8 tables and 18 footnotes.)
Psychology Press. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A