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Constraints on the social meaning of released /t/: A production and perception study of U.S. politicians

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 February 2015

Robert J. Podesva ,
Jermay Reynolds ,
Patrick Callier  and
Jessica Baptiste
Robert J. Podesva
Affiliation:
Stanford University
Jermay Reynolds
Affiliation:
Nuance Communications, Inc.
Patrick Callier
Affiliation:
Stanford University
Jessica Baptiste
Affiliation:
University of Hawaii at Manoa
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Abstract

Previous studies on released /t/ collectively suggest that the linguistic feature is associated with intelligence and education, social meanings that can be recruited in constructing articulate personas. This study examines the production of released /t/ by six prominent U.S. political figures, as well as the social meanings listeners attribute to the variant. Employing a matched guise technique facilitated by digital stimulus manipulation, we find that the social meanings associated with released /t/ are constrained by linguistic and social factors. Regarding the former, word-medial /t/ releases carry stronger social meanings than those appearing word-finally. With respect to social factors, listener interpretations vary according to the identity of the speaker and knowledge of how frequently particular speakers produce /t/ releases. Thus, even though conventionalized associations between linguistic forms and meanings can be drawn upon to construct articulate personas, not all speakers can do so with equal effectiveness.

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Type
Research Article
Information
Language Variation and Change , Volume 27 , Issue 1 , March 2015 , pp. 59 - 87
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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