Production and Perception of the Epenthetic Vowel in Obstruent + Liquid Clusters in Spanish: an Analysis of the Prosodic and Phonetic Cues Used by L1 and L2 Speakers by Carlos Julio Ramírez Vera A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Department of Spanish and Portuguese University of Toronto © Copyright by Carlos Julio Ramírez Vera 2012 Production and Perception of the Epenthetic Vowel in Obstruent + Liquid Clusters in Spanish: an Analysis of the Prosodic and Phonetic Cues Used by L1 and L2 Speakers by Carlos Julio Ramírez Vera Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Department of Spanish and Portuguese, University of Toronto 2012 Abstract This study hypothesizes that the Epenthetic Vowel (EV) that occurs in Spanish consonant clusters, although produced unconsciously, is part of the articulatory plan of the speaker. As part of the plan, the epenthetic vowel occurs more often in the least perceptually recoverable contexts in order to enhance them. To achieve a better understanding of the role of the epenthetic vowel, this study shows that the linguistic and phonotactic contexts condition the occurrence of these vowels. Specifically, it argues that linguistic and phonotactic contexts that are perceptually weak compel a significantly higher occurrence of EVs. The EV was analyzed from both production and perceptual standpoints. The results show that from the production standpoint, the occurrence of the EV is affected by the type of liquid that forms the clusters: in clusters with /r/ the variables that made a statistical contribution were post-tonic position (odds ratio, 4.46), and voiceless consonants (odds ratio, 1.42). In the case of clusters with /l/ an EV has a higher probability of occurring in the context of bilabial consonants (odds ratio, 4.19), and voiceless consonants (odds ratio, 1.3). As for the effects of speech rate on the duration of EVs, the results show that speech rate accounts for 14% of the variation in an EV’s length. ii From the standpoint of perception, listening was divided into the tasks of perceptual identification and perceptual discrimination. The results show that the strongest predictor is the interaction voiceless x post-tonic position (odds ratio, 4.8). For the identification of the Cr clusters, the strongest predictor is the context of voiceless consonants (odds ratio, 4.42). Regarding identification of the Cl clusters, the strongest predictors are the tonic position (odds ratio, 1.54) and the labial place of articulation (odds ratio, 1.39). With regard to the discrimination of the Cr clusters, the strongest predictors for perceptual recoverability are the interaction voiceless x post-tonic position (odds ratio, 2.22), and the labial place of articulation (odds ratio, 1.37), while for the Cl cluster, the strongest predictors are the tonic position (odds ratio, 5.83) and voiceless consonants (odds ratio, 3). iii Acknowledgments I would like to express my gratitude to the persons who guided me and gave me their support through this long process. First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my advisor Dr. Ron Smyth for the continuous support of my Ph.D study and research, for his insight, his guidance, and patience through all the process, for asking the right questions, and setting the highest standards. I am extremely grateful for to Dr. Nina Spada for her guidance and encouragement. I also want to thank to Dr. Murray Munro, Dr. Yoonjung Kang, and Dr. Ana Teresa Pérez-Leroux for the insight of their revisons and questions. I am extremely grateful for all the students and instructors for their time and collaboration with this research, without which, this dissertation would not have been possible. My gratitude goes to my family who give me their unconditional support. Thanks to all my friends and colleagues for the encouragement and support. Thanks to Natalia and Esteban, mis hijos. iv Table of Contents Abstract ……………….………………………………………………………………………… ii Acknowledgments ……………………………………………………………………………… iv List of Tables …………………………………………………………………………….……… x List of Figures …………………………………………………………….…………………… xiii List of Appendices …………………………………………………………………………….. xiv Introduction …………………………....……………………………………………………... 1 Chapter 1: Epenthetic vowles ………….……………………………………….………….…. 5 1.1. Scope of the study ………………………………..………………………………… 5 1.2. Context of the study………………………………………………………………... 6 1.2.1. Main issues in second language phonology……………………………….. 6 1.2.1.1. The role of Speech Perception in Speech Production …………... 7 1.2.1.2. Learning to perceive in a second language ….……..…....…….. 11 1.2.1.3. The initial state and the role of early linguistic experience ….... 12 1.2.1.4. Differences between L1 and L2 perception …………...………. 14 1.2.1.5. Perceptual learning: developmental constraints ……………….. 15 1.2.1.6. Maturational constraints ……………………………………..... 16 1.2.1.7. Input constraints …………………............…………………...... 17 1.2.1.8. Learnability Constraints ……………………………………….. 17 1.2.1.9. The cognitive interplay of L1 and L2 systems ………………….18 1.2.1.10. Speech perception and phonological system interplay …….… 20 1.2.2. Experimental studies on production and perception of L2 segments ….. 21 1.2.2.1. The production and perception of L2 vowels ………………..... 21 1.2.2.2. The role of L1 …………………...…………………………….. 22 v 1.2.2.3. The role of Age …………...…………………….…………....... 23 1.2.2.4. The role of familiarity ………………………….……...………. 25 1.2.2.5. The role of linguistic cues ………...………...…………………. 26 1.2.3. Speech perception ……………...……………………………..…………. 27 1.2.3.1. Problems with speech perception ……………………...……….28 1.2.3.2. The nature of perceptual cues …………………...………..…… 31 1.2.4. Models of Speech Perception …………………………….……...………. 33 1.2.5. Speech perception in a second language ……………………….…...…… 37 1.2.6. Non-linguistic factors in speech perception: Information Theory …...….. 38 1.3. Research questions and hypotheses ………………………………..………..…….. 39 Chapter 2. Speech Production: Vowel Epenthesis ………………………...…..……………. 42 2.1. Epenthesis……………………………………………………………………….…. 42 2.1.1. Epenthesis in L1 acquisition ………………...………………..…………. 43 2.1.2. Epenthesis in L2 acquisition ………………...…………………...……… 44 2.2. The analysis of vowel epenthesis …………………………………………………. 46 2.2.1. The segments ……………………………………………………………. 48 2.2.2. Syllable structure ……………………………………………………....... 51 2.3. Previous studies on the epenthetic vowel………………………………………….. 56 2.3.1. Phonetic approaches to the epenthetic vowel …………………………… 56 2.3.2. Phonological approaches to the epenthetic vowels …………………….... 84 Chapter 3. Speech Production: The Occurrence of the Epenthetic Vowels ………………. 95 3.1. Working assumptions …………………………………………………………...…. 95 3.2. Hypotheses and Assumptions …………………………………………..…………. 96 3.2.1. Voicing …………………………………………………..………………. 98 vi 3.2.2. Consonant Strength as duration and magnitude of gestures …..……….. 101 3.2.3. Place of Articulation …………………………...……..……...………… 103 3.2.4. Predictions about prosodic position ……………………………....……. 105 3.3. Methodology ………………………………………………………….………….. 109 3.3.1. Selection of words ……………………………………………………… 109 3.3.2. Participants ………………………………………………………..……. 110 3.3.3. Recording procedure …………………………………………………… 110 3.3.4. Measurement procedure …………………………………………..……. 111 3.4. The occurrence of the epenthetic vowel ……………………………...………….. 111 3.4.1. Occurrence of EVs in Obstruent + liquid (/r/, /l/) ……………...………. 112 3.4.2. Type of liquid …………………………………………………………... 113 3.4.3. Frequency of Occurrence of EV in Cr ……………………………….… 116 3.4.3.1. Place of articulation for Cr ……………………………………..…….. 119 3.4.3.2. Voicing ……………………………………………………….………. 120 3.4.4. Frequency of occurrence of EVs in Cl …………………...…………….. 124 3.5. Conclusions ………………………………………………………………………. 129 Chapter 4. The Effect of Speech Rate on EV ………………..……………………………. 132 4.1. The role of speech rate on vowels ……………………………...………………… 133 4.2. Methodology …………………………………………………………………..…. 135 4.3. Results and discussion ………………………………………………………...…. 138 4.3.1. Duration of the epenthetic vowel ………………………………………..138 4.3.2. Cr clusters ………………………………………………...……………. 141 4.3.3. Cl Clusters ………………………………………………...……………. 142 4.4. Conclusions for speech rate …………………………………………………...…. 144 vii Chapter 5. Speech Perception: Perceptual Identification of EVs ………………..……….. 146 5.1 Overview ………………………………………………………………..………… 146 5.2. The experiment ………………………………………………………..…………. 149 5.2.1. The identification task ………………………………………………….. 149 5.2.2. Participants …………………………………………….......................… 150 5.2.3. Experimental Design …………………………………………………… 151 5.2.3.1. Task ………………………………….………………………. 151 5.2.3.2. Stimuli ………………………………………….……………. 153 5.2.3.3. Recording of stimuli …………………………….…………… 154 5.3. Results ………………………………………………………………………….… 155 5.3.1. Main effect models with odds ratios ……………..…………………….. 156 5.3.1.1. Type of liquid /l/ or /r/ ……………………………………….. 156 5.3.1.2. Main effect for Group ……………………………….……….. 156 5.3.1.3. The CvCV and CVC sequences ……………………………… 157 5.3.2. Interactions ………………………………………………………….….. 158 5.3.3. Type of vowel ………………………………………….………………. 162 5.4. Discussion and Conclusions ……………………………………..………………. 163 Chapter 6. Perceptual Discrimination of EV ……………………………………………… 168 6.1. Perceptual characterization of EV ……………………………………………….. 168 6.2. Levels of speech processing ………………………………………………..…….. 171 6.3. Test Design ………………………………………………………………………. 174 6.4. Results ……………………………………………………………………………. 178 6.4.1. Main effects models with odd ratios ………………………………….... 179 6.4.2. Obstruent +