The production of coronals in hyper- and hypospeech

Constriction place patterns in EPG registrations of Swedish [s], [þ], and [§] in phrasal as compared to isolated production is characterized by an aggregation in a small sagittal range along the middle part of the alveolar crest. This range often borders on isolated [s] but is sometimes a bit further back. We hypothesise that this aggregation is closely connected with the neutral coronal gesture: The front tongue articulates closer to this gesture in phrases than in isolated productions. Unsystematic studies of several other coronals support this hypothesis. Speech material that is more hypo will probably show a still more narrow range.