Many cross-language perceptual models consider allophonic distributions in predicting the pattern of cross-language perception. Allophonic processes, however, are related to not only the existence of particular phonetic events but also to their linkage to the particular context in which such phonetic events occur. This study investigated how the determination of context and allophonic variation...

The behavior of speech sounds involves a large number of “natural”, panchronic processes that take place at different points in time and space, in unrelated languages. More or less subtle synchronic, dialectal, stylistic, or allophonic variations may progressively become full-fledged sound changes. An overview of these sound changes brings out preferences for “natural” sounds, that are easier t...

A neural network is used to produce formant data for the Holmes parallel formant speech synthesizer [2] from an allophonic transcription of plain english text. This paper presents results obtained from training a back propagation neural network using speech generated by a conventional speech synthesizer. The network is able to learn to reproduce the basic form of formant transitions between all...

This paper reports on ongoing experiments related to the perception of atypical phonological contrasts. It was hypothesized that the quasiphonemic status of a derived contrast in Scottish English would induce atypical responses, yielding behavioural correlates with intermediate values between phonemicity and allophony. The results show that some of the Scottish participants produce identificati...

This study offers a phonetic description and phonological analysis of a variety of melodic contours in Brazilian Portuguese. These are commonly referred to as conveying the modal, or illocutionary, functions of intonation, as well as some attitudinal uses. The phonological analysis follows the AM framework and aims at distinguishing what is contrastive and what are merely allophonic variations ...