Work

Articulatory correlates of consonantal length contrasts: The case of Japanese mimetic geminates

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study investigates the articulatory correlates of consonantal length contrasts in Japanese mimetic words using electromagnetic articulography data. Regression and dynamic time warping analyses applied to intragestural timing, kinematic properties, and intergestural timing reveal that Japanese geminates are characterized by longer closure phases, longer gestural plateaus, higher tongue tip positions, larger movements, and lower stiffness. Geminates also exhibit distinct timing relationships with adjacent vowels, specifically, longer times to target that allow for longer preceding vowels. These findings shed light on the articulatory mechanisms underlying Japanese geminate production, their relationship to acoustics, and their characterization in a broader cross-linguistic perspective.

Source: JASA Express Letters

DOI: 10.1121/10.0034762

Authors: Francesco Burroni, Shigeto Kawahara, Jason A. Shaw

Institutions: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Keio University, Yale University

Language: English

Topic: Phonetics and Phonology Research

Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

Awards: Stochastic and empirical study of phonological knowledge based on corpus and phonetic experiment, 日本語音韻現象の調音的および情報理論的分析, Methods in laboratory phonology