The role of the spectral and temporal cues in consonantal vocalization and glide insertion

This study investigates the perceptual role of several acoustic characteristics to glide generation processes affecting the consonants [ł], [β] and [n], i.e., the vocalization of syllable-final [ł] and syllable-initial [β] into [w], and the insertion of [j] before syllable-final [n]. Results from identification tests with synthetic speech stimuli performed on Catalan-speaking informants reveal that both the formant frequency characteristics (at the consonant steady-state period for [ł] and [β], and at the endpoint of the vowel transitions for [n]), and the onset or onset/offset time of the vowel transitions may play an active role in vocalization and glide insertion. Mostly for the changes [ł] > [w] and [n]> [jn], glide identification was triggered by formant frequency variations rather than by variations in the temporal implementation of the vowel transitions. The implications of the perception results for the interpretation of the sound changes of interest are evaluated. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.