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The sonority cycle and the acquisition of complex onsets

Abstract

The Sonority Cycle (Clements 1990), consisting of the Core Syllabification Principle (CSP) and Feature Dispersion Principle (FDP), is a model of syllable structure that systematically reveals the markedness relationships among syllable margins. This paper presents the results of two studies testing the Sonority Cycle. The first study examines the production of biliteral and triliteral onsets, the latter being more marked than the former. The second study examines the production of three biliteral onsets differing in their sonority profile. Of the three, /.st-/ is the most marked because it violates the CSP. In turn /.sn-/ is more marked than /.sl-/ because of its higher dispersion value according to the FDP. Both studies found that less marked onsets are correctly produced more frequently than are more marked onsets.

Abstract

The Sonority Cycle (Clements 1990), consisting of the Core Syllabification Principle (CSP) and Feature Dispersion Principle (FDP), is a model of syllable structure that systematically reveals the markedness relationships among syllable margins. This paper presents the results of two studies testing the Sonority Cycle. The first study examines the production of biliteral and triliteral onsets, the latter being more marked than the former. The second study examines the production of three biliteral onsets differing in their sonority profile. Of the three, /.st-/ is the most marked because it violates the CSP. In turn /.sn-/ is more marked than /.sl-/ because of its higher dispersion value according to the FDP. Both studies found that less marked onsets are correctly produced more frequently than are more marked onsets.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. Segmental-level studies: Vowels
  5. Adult phonetic learning of a second language vowel system 19
  6. The phonological and phonetic development of new vowel contrasts in Spanish learners of English 41
  7. Age and native language influence on the perception of English vowels 57
  8. Part II. Syllable-level studies: Codas and onset clusters
  9. The influence of voicing and sonority relationships on the production of English final consonants 73
  10. Perception and production of vowel paragoge by Brazilian EFL students 91
  11. The sonority cycle and the acquisition of complex onsets 105
  12. The influence of voicing on the production of initial /s/-clusters by Brazilian learners 139
  13. Production of English initial /s/-clusters by speakers of Brazilian Portuguese and Argentine Spanish 155
  14. Part III. Prosodic-level studies: Stress and rhythm
  15. Variability in the use of weak forms of prepositions 171
  16. Perception of double stress by Spanish learners of English 185
  17. The production of compound stress by Brazilian learners of English 199
  18. Author index 211
  19. Subject Index 213
English with a Latin Beat
This chapter is in the book English with a Latin Beat
https://doi.org/10.1075/sibil.31.09car

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. Segmental-level studies: Vowels
  5. Adult phonetic learning of a second language vowel system 19
  6. The phonological and phonetic development of new vowel contrasts in Spanish learners of English 41
  7. Age and native language influence on the perception of English vowels 57
  8. Part II. Syllable-level studies: Codas and onset clusters
  9. The influence of voicing and sonority relationships on the production of English final consonants 73
  10. Perception and production of vowel paragoge by Brazilian EFL students 91
  11. The sonority cycle and the acquisition of complex onsets 105
  12. The influence of voicing on the production of initial /s/-clusters by Brazilian learners 139
  13. Production of English initial /s/-clusters by speakers of Brazilian Portuguese and Argentine Spanish 155
  14. Part III. Prosodic-level studies: Stress and rhythm
  15. Variability in the use of weak forms of prepositions 171
  16. Perception of double stress by Spanish learners of English 185
  17. The production of compound stress by Brazilian learners of English 199
  18. Author index 211
  19. Subject Index 213
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