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On the allophonic behaviour of German /x/ vs /k/ - an EPG investigation

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Author

  • Gilbert Ambrazaitis
  • Tina John

Summary, in English

Facts about the phonotactics and the allophonic behaviour of German /x/ vs /k/ are summarized and discussed concerning the question of categorical vs gradual assimilation. It is concluded that the different allophonic variation of /x/ vs /k/ can more appropriately be described in terms of a difference in articulatory control rather than in assimilation. This difference is associated with a stronger allophonic separation for /x/ than for /k/: /x/ (in contrast to /k/) has allophonic categories which can be described as different speech sounds as perceived by native speakers. It is hypothesized that these allophonic categories are manifested in production through a larger articulatory distance between the most anterior and the most posterior allophone for /x/ than for /k/. The hypothesis is tested successfully by an analysis of /x/ vs /k/ in four subjects using EPG.

Publishing year

2004

Language

English

Publication/Series

Arbeitsberichte des Instituts für Phonetik und digitale Sprachverarbeitung der Universität Kiel (AIPUK)

Volume

36

Document type

Working paper

Publisher

Institut für Phonetik und digitale Sprachverarbeitung, Universität Kiel

Topic

  • General Language Studies and Linguistics

Keywords

  • assimilation
  • gradual
  • allophone
  • articulatory control
  • EPG
  • categorical

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0172-8156