The Third Dimension: On the Role of Vowel Duration in Complex Vowel Systems
Christian Langstroff (Freiburg)
Location: CURDS Seminar Room, 4th Floor, Claremont Bridge
Time/Date: 22nd April 2010, 12:00 - 13:00
Abstract
While most researchers in sociophonetics have predominantly focussed on instrumental measurements of formant frequencies (i.e. the acoustic correlate of vowel quality) in order to analyse variation and change in vowel systems, there is growing evidence that other dimensions may also play a functional role in shaping vowel systems. Specifically, it can be argued that the function of vowel duration has so far been underappreciated. I will argue that in order to obtain a full understanding of the regularities we observe in changing vowel systems (i.e. Labov’s principles as well as their ‘exceptions’), we need to obtain a better understanding of the interrelation between vowel quality, vowel quantity, as well as other factors such as diphthongisation. Data from New Zealand English will be discussed in order to highlight the crucial role of vowel duration in explaining non-merger between shifting vowel distributions. In addition, some preliminary data from Standard German, which was analysed in the course of an ongoing comprehensive project on functional interactions between different phonetic dimensions will be presented and discussed.|
Dr Ghada Khattab
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Published: 2nd December 2009