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Articulatory coordination distinguishes complex segments from segment sequences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2021

Jason A. Shaw Open the ORCID record for Jason A. Shaw [Opens in a new window] ,
Sejin Oh Open the ORCID record for Sejin Oh [Opens in a new window] ,
Karthik Durvasula Open the ORCID record for Karthik Durvasula [Opens in a new window]  and
Alexei Kochetov Open the ORCID record for Alexei Kochetov [Opens in a new window]
Jason A. Shaw*
Affiliation:
Yale University
Sejin Oh*
Affiliation:
CUNY Graduate Center and Haskins Laboratories
Karthik Durvasula*
Affiliation:
Michigan State University
Alexei Kochetov*
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
*
*E-mail: jason.shaw@yale.edu, soh@gradcenter.cuny.edu, durvasul@msu.edu, al.kochetov@utoronto.ca.
*E-mail: jason.shaw@yale.edu, soh@gradcenter.cuny.edu, durvasul@msu.edu, al.kochetov@utoronto.ca.
*E-mail: jason.shaw@yale.edu, soh@gradcenter.cuny.edu, durvasul@msu.edu, al.kochetov@utoronto.ca.
*E-mail: jason.shaw@yale.edu, soh@gradcenter.cuny.edu, durvasul@msu.edu, al.kochetov@utoronto.ca.
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Abstract

Phonological patterning motivates a distinction between complex segments and segment sequences, although it has also been suggested that there might be reliable phonetic differences. We develop the hypothesis that, in addition to their distinct phonological patterning, complex segments differ from segment sequences in how constituent articulatory gestures are coordinated in time. Through computational simulation, we illustrate predictions that follow from hypothesised coordination differences, showing as well how coordination is conceptually independent of temporal duration. We test predictions with kinematic data collected using electromagnetic articulography. Electromagnetic articulography data comparing labial-palatal gestures in Russian, which we argue on the basis of phonological facts to constitute complex segments, and similar labial-palatal gestures in English, which we argue constitute segment sequences, show distinct patterns of coordination, providing robust support for our main hypothesis. At least in this case, gestural coordination conditions patterns of kinematic variation that clearly distinguish complex segments from segment sequences.

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Phonology , Volume 38 , Issue 3 , August 2021 , pp. 437 - 477
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Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

We would like to thank the participants who volunteered for this study. For assistance with data collection, we thank Christopher Geissler, Vivian Li and Muye Zhang. For comments and discussion, we thank audiences at AMP 2020, where aspects of this work were presented, as well as the Yale Phonology group (especially Samuel Andersson, Christopher Geissler, Mark Tiede, Natalie Weber and Doug Whalen) and the MSU Phonology-Phonetics group. We also thank three anonymous reviewers and the associate editor for comments that improved the final version. We are responsible for any remaining errors and oversights.

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