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K J Kohler

Publications and source records attributed to K J Kohler.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1985

The perception of lenis and fortis plosives in French. A critical re-evaluation.

This paper presents a re-evaluation of the data contained in two articles by W. van Dommelen published in Phonetica 40 (1983) and 42 (1985). It is argued that greater generalization is possible for lenis/fortis perception in French C1C2 stop-obstruent clusters. First of all, they follow single stops in that the extent of voicing in the whole cluster has the strongest cue value and that the release feature of C1 is also important; its absence results in less clearly defined response functions. This means, secondly, that stop-stop and stop-fricative sequences produce the same results when the characteristic plosive aspiration features are absent in the former and merged into the fricative in the latter. Thirdly, a fortis obstruent in second position heightens lenis perception in the preceding stop by auditory contrast, not by its phonological status.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Phonetic explanation in phonology: the feature fortis/lenis.

This paper examines the wide spectrum of phonetic properties associated with the phonological distinctions between consonant classes such as /p, t, k/ and /b, d, g/ in a great variety of languages (including languages with multivalued contrasts) and evaluates their relationship to the features [+/- voiced], [+/- aspirated], [+/- fortis]. The discussion separates word-initial, word-medial and word-final positions according to their different production and signalling constraints. A power feature, realized in articulatory timing and/or phonatory power/tension, is set up as the essential differentiator, thus providing a phonetic basis for the fortis/lenis dichotomy. The incorporation of the time dimension into phonology is regarded as a necessary prerequisite to the solution of phonological problems in general and to an adequate treatment of the [+/- voiced] feature in particular, voice onset time being only one temporal aspect.

Glottis↗
PubMed1982

F0 in the production of lenis and fortis plosives.

The contribution of fundamental frequency (F0) to the distinction between lenis and fortis plosives is investigated for German in monotone, falling, and rising pitch patterns. A larger F0 drop is found in the stressed vowel before lenis, as against fortis, in disyllabic words with the contour high + fall. These F0 differences do not have aerodynamic causes due to articulatory constraints on phonation but can be related to an active laryngeal control in two production patterns differing in overall articulatory effort and also resulting in an articulatory timing contrast. Hypotheses are formulated as regards the importance of this F0 difference for perception, and with respect to the production and the perception of the lenis/fortis opposition along the F0 parameter in English.

Humans↗
PubMed1981

Timing of articulatory control in the production of plosives.

EMG data from the musculus palatoglossus and the m. levator veli palatini as well as velograph recordings of velic movement in the production of plosives in German are discussed. The results point to the articulation of lenis plosives being controlled by a slower raising and a faster lowering of the velum than in the case of fortis plosives, within a fairly constant time frame for the complete movement. A simple neural programme is postulated consisting of a control for the macro-timing and for two movement patterns within it.

Electromyography↗
PubMed1979

Dimensions in the perception of fortis and lenis plosives.

The analysis of the production of fortis and lenis plosives in German has shown the importance of the duration ratio vowel/(vowel + closure) for the distinction. To complement these results a perception test was carried out in which 29 native speakers identified a randomised sequence of 220 stimuli from tape as one of the phrases 'Diese Gruppe kann ich nicht leid(e)n (leit(e)n)'. The stimuli were obtained from the two naturally produced originals by changing the ratios and the length of voicing in the plosive through computer processing. The test results indicate very conclusively that judgment can be reversed simply by changing the ratio to the appropriate ones found in production. There is a hierarchy of perceptual dimensions: duration ratio greater than formant transition greater than voicing.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Investigating unscripted speech: implications for phonetics and phonology.

This paper looks at patterns of reduction and elaboration in speech production, taking the phenomenon of plosive-related glottalization in German spontaneous speech, on the basis of the 'Kiel Corpus', as its point of departure, and proposes general principles of human speech to explain them. This is followed by an enquiry into the nature of a production-perception link, based on complementary data from perceptual experiments. A hypothesis is put forward as to how listeners cope with the enormous phonetic variability of spoken language and how this ability may be acquired. Finally, the need for a new paradigm of phonetic analysis and phonological systematization is stressed, as a prerequisite to dealing adequately and in an insightful way with the production and perception of spontaneous speech.

Humans↗