2. Representations of [voice]: Evidence from acquisition
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René Kager
Abstract
We consider two theories of laryngeal representation, one using a single feature [voice] generalizing across prevoicing languages and aspiration languages, and the other using multiple features: [voice] for pre-voicing languages and [spread glottis] for aspiration languages. We derive predictions for children’s early productions, and test these for three Germanic languages. Children acquiring Dutch, a prevoicing language, show de-voicing of stops, while available data from German, an aspiration language, show de-aspiration. Although the difference might simply reflect intrinsic properties of children’s early production and perception systems, we argue that a representational account is in order, based on multiples features. The case is made for English, an aspiration language, based on the early productions of a single child. A laryngeal harmony pattern is found which spreads voicelessness from coda to onset, which is argued to involve activity of [spread glottis]. This is interpreted as evidence for a laryngeal representation involving multiple features.
Abstract
We consider two theories of laryngeal representation, one using a single feature [voice] generalizing across prevoicing languages and aspiration languages, and the other using multiple features: [voice] for pre-voicing languages and [spread glottis] for aspiration languages. We derive predictions for children’s early productions, and test these for three Germanic languages. Children acquiring Dutch, a prevoicing language, show de-voicing of stops, while available data from German, an aspiration language, show de-aspiration. Although the difference might simply reflect intrinsic properties of children’s early production and perception systems, we argue that a representational account is in order, based on multiples features. The case is made for English, an aspiration language, based on the early productions of a single child. A laryngeal harmony pattern is found which spreads voicelessness from coda to onset, which is argued to involve activity of [spread glottis]. This is interpreted as evidence for a laryngeal representation involving multiple features.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction vii
- 1. Issues in Dutch devoicing: Positional faithfulness, positional markedness, and local conjunction 1
- 2. Representations of [voice]: Evidence from acquisition 41
- 3. Exceptions to final devoicing 81
- 4. Prevoicing in Dutch initial plosives: Production, perception, and word recognition 99
- 5. Dutch regressive voicing assimilation as a 'low level phonetic process': Acoustic evidence 125
- 6. Intraparadigmatic effects on the perception of voice 153
- Indexes 175
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction vii
- 1. Issues in Dutch devoicing: Positional faithfulness, positional markedness, and local conjunction 1
- 2. Representations of [voice]: Evidence from acquisition 41
- 3. Exceptions to final devoicing 81
- 4. Prevoicing in Dutch initial plosives: Production, perception, and word recognition 99
- 5. Dutch regressive voicing assimilation as a 'low level phonetic process': Acoustic evidence 125
- 6. Intraparadigmatic effects on the perception of voice 153
- Indexes 175
