PETER S.

G R E E N

CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS
A SPECTROGRAPHIC STUDY

Early workers with the sound spectrograph were quite to notice

the characteristic changes produced in vowel formant patterns by
preceding and following consonants. They soon realised that these
changes probably provided important or even essential cues for the
identification of the consonants themselves (1-2). With the ad-
vent of the pattern playback the idea could be put to the test
experimentally, and since then a steady stream of results has
emerged from the work of the group at the Haskins Laboratories
in New York (3-16). Their experiments have revealed that, for
synthetic speech at any rate, vowel formant inflections are im-
portant, and sometimes sufficient, cues for the perception of cer-
tain consonants. This investigation aims at establishing the extent
to which the results of synthetic-speech research are reflected in
human speech.

Choice and arrangement of test-mcrterinl

For greater spectrogram clarity, only the long vowel phonemes
of English /i: a: 3 : u: a:/ were chosen. However, as this left the
front series too poorly represented, the phoneme /a?/ was added,
being, in an absolute sense, a long vowel (E. A. Meyer found dur-
ations of 0.224 and 0.201 sec. for /ae/ and /i:/ respectively, before
It/, ( 1 7 ) ) . These six vowels were combined mitth the English con-
s
sonant phonemes /p b m w f v0 8 t d n 1 s z r 3 j k g IJ hl into se-
quences of the type /bi:bi:b/, thereby placing each consonant ini-
tially, intervocalically, and finally. Where the resulting sequences
were so strongly in conllict with the morpho-phonemic structure
of the language as to be practically unpronounceable, they were
modified, e. g. / a e r ~ z g /was substituted for /ga?geg/. But all readily
pronounceable forms were retained, even if they were structurally
un-English, e. g. /wa:wa:/. The sequences were given iambic stress,
Figures in brackets refer to literature enumerated in the reference-list.

5 57
 PETER S. GREEN

/bi:'bi:b/, and each was spoken twice to make a spectrogram, so

that a total of 264 patterns was investigated. The spectrograms
were recorded at the 1200-/inch setting, for masinium dispersal
of the formants, and with the wide filter, for maximum formant
definition (see Appendix, figs. 1-6).
Only second-formant transitions are considered in this study.
This restriction is based on the synthetic-speech experience that
first-formant transitions have little or nothing to do with the place
of production of a contiguous consonant, whilst appropriate third-
formanlt transitions strengthen, but are not essential to, the percep-
tion of most consonants ( 5 , 7, 10). Unless otherwise stated, there-
fore, the transitions discussed here are second-formant transitions.
For direct comparison with one another, the second-formant
transitions were traced from the spectrograms in groups, as illus-
t rated below :
b-I

Each group represents the transitions to or from one consonant in

a certain position, e. g. initial. The skeleton of each tracing consists
of two locating lines: a horizontal line, representing the bottom
edge of the spectrogram baseline (and therefore below 0- on the
frequency scale), and a vertical line, representing the consonant-
vowel juncture (which is fairly easily determined for stops and
fricaitives, but rather arbitrary for liquids). The transitions theni-
selves are represented by their centre-lines, as the region of
maximum acoustic energy (18, 19). After tracing, each formant
was extended beyond the vertical line in order to establish, if
possible, its 'locus' (see below). The groups were calibrated against
spectrograms made from a 400, compound tone.
It may be objected that a number of arbitrary procedures are
involved here, which impair the validity of any results obtained.

58
 CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

This is true but unavoidable, and the results must be considered

as indications rather than facts.

/p/ 400-
lbl 600, = 460- average
/m/ 300, 100, 700,650,500-

If/ 1300-
/v/ 800,350, 150, iO0-
)= 660- :.
/fi/ 1650, 1500, 1400-
/a/ 1250, 1200, 1250, 1400-
It/ 1600,16OO, 1700,1850,1850-
/a/ 1~50,2000-
In/ 1850-

59
 PETER S. GREEN

/1/ 1700,1650, 1700, 1800- = 1710-average

I
/s/ 1800, 1850, 1750-
/z/ 1750,1700,1400, =1620- ),

/r/ 1100-
/J/ 2000-
131 2000, 1 =2000- ,,

/k/ .-
/g/ - -
- - 79

/a/ - I

/hi is associated with fairIy straight formants of the vowel and

gives no locus (9). For /k g IJ/ the formant extensions tended to
spread fanwise rather than to intersect, and therefore, no locus was
established. This may well be due to the mobility of the articula-
tion point for the velar consonants, which is drawn backwards or
forwards by the associated vowel. All the transitions were either
straight or, more often, 'positive', i. e. falling from consonant to
vowel or rising from vowel to consonant. This distinguishes /k g IJ/
from /p b m/, where all the transitions were 'negative' (i. e. rising
from consonant to vowel or falling from vowel ,to consonant), but
not from /t d n/, which gave both pasitive and negative transi-
tions. Here third-formant transitions perhaps play a role in dis-
tinguishing It d n/ with negative second formants from /p b m/
(also with negative) and /t d n/ with positive second formants
from /k g a/ (also with positive), for the third-formant transitions
are negative for /p b m/ and /k g g / but positive for It d n/ (cf.
Appendix, Sample spectrograms). This gives the following identi-
fication scheme:
!p b m/ negative second, negative third formants = --
It d nf 1 1
negative second, positive third formants =
positive
I-+
I+ +
/k g IJ/ positive second, negative third formants = +-
This is supported by the Haskins finding that responses for all
synthetic two-formant stimuli, but especially for Id/, were im-
proved by the addition of appropriate third-formant transitions.
These were negative for /p b m/ and ik g IJ/ but positive for /t d n/
( 5 , 10).

60
 CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

The Haskins group also found Ill and Id, which have similar
locus (or 'steady-state onset') frequencies, to be distinguished by
their third-fonnant transitions, /I/ having straight third formants
and /r/ having third formants which curved down to join the
second-formant onset (8, 16). The same pattern was found in the
spectrograms made for this study (see Appendis, figs. 17-18).
If the locus frequencies given above are arranged in a standard
place-of-production/manner-of-production table (appropriate aver-
ages being used) :

* Haskins results

it will be seen that figures in vertical columns do not differ from

one another by any important amount, which seems to indicate
that the locus does reflect the place of production of a consonant,
irrespective of its manner of production. On the other hand, figures
in horizontal columns show a steady rise from left to right, as is
seen more clearly from the graph overleaf (again using averages).
This means that the locus rises in frequency as the place of arti-
culation is shifted further backwards in the mouth, which is con-
sistent with the progressive reduction in the size of the resonating
cavity (see Appendis, figs. 7-13 and 14-16).
In her experiments on the identification of .American English
fricatives, Harris arrived at the conclusion that the transitions of
associated vowels gave sufficient cues for the discrimination of /f/
and / O f but that the important cues for I s / and Is! were contained
in the friction part of the syllable (12, 1 3 ) . This can perhaps be
accounted for by the locus frequencies of the phonemes. /f v/ have
a locus of 660- and / O 5/ a locus of 1380-, i. e. an easily perceived
difference of over an octave. On the other hand, i s z/ have a locus

61
 PETER S. GREEN
soon-

2600
2400

2000

1800

1600

1400

1200

1000

800

600

400
Bilnbinl Labiodcntnl Dental Alveolnr Pnlntonlveolar Pnlntnl Yulnr

/s
of 1710, and 3/ a locus o l 2000-, a difference of little more than
one tone and insufficient for reliable discrimination.
Measurements of the time-lag or ’silent interval’ between the
locus and the transition onset or cut-off gave the following results:
0.08 sec.
0.03 sec.
0.05, 0.10, 0.03, 0.05, 0.04 sec.
0.03, 0.02, 0.02 sec.
0.08 sec.
0.13, 0.15, 0.29, 0.12 sec.
0.04,0.14,0.11sec.
0.07, 0.03, 0.04, 0.06 sec.
0.01, 0.04, 0.06, 0.02, 0.12 sec.

62
 CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

0.03, 0.13 sec.

0.04 sec.
0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.0.5 sec.
0.12, 0.07, 0.11 sec.
0.03, 0.03, 0.05 sec.
0.02 sec.
0.06 sec.
0.04 sec.
0.02, 0.03, 0.04 sec.

The Haskins group report that for stops and (presumably) ncasals,
second-formant transitions had to begin not at the locus but after
a 'silent interval' of 0.05 sec. ( 7 , 14). The above results give an
average time-lag of 0.06 sec. for the stops and nasals. They also
report that for /w j r I/ formants began at the loci (or steady-state
onsets) (8, 16). Here, a time-lag of 0.03 sec. (average) was found
for /w j r 11, but this result arises from the method used to establish
the positions of the loci: on the actual spectrograms the transitions
can be seen to pass through the locus, at least when the consonant
is in intervocalic position (see Appendix, fig. 18).
Finally, measurements were made of the durations of the whole
formants and of iheir transitions, These are reported fully in the
appendix, whiIst average results for groups of consonants with the
same locus frequency are given below. Vertical columns 1 and 2
contain the results for the first and second syllables respectively
of the two-syllable sequences. Of the horizontal columns, A gives
the average for the whole formant, B the average for the iniitial
transition, and C that for the final transition.
1 L 1 2

I p b m l A 0.16 0.23 sec. /f vl A 0.20 0.28

B 0.05 0.05 B 0.07 0.08
C 0.05 0.03 C 0.07 0.07
/t d n / A 0.18 0.26 / e a/ A 0.23 0.30
B 0.07 0.09 B 0.10 0.09
c 0.05 0.06 C 0.06 0.07
/kgg/ A 0.19 0.28 I s z/ A 0.21 0.30
R 0.08 0.06 B 0.08 0.10
C 0.05 O.OT C 0.06 0.07

63
 PETER S. GREEN
1 2 1 2

Is31 A 0.22 0.32 /r/ 4 0.26 0.30

B 0.07 0.08 B 0.08 0.10
c 0.05 0.07 c 0.06 -
/w/ A 0.25 0.32 /1/ A 0.19 0.25
H 0.10 0.09 B 0.06 0.06
c 0.08 - C 0.03 0.06

/j/ A 0.24 0.31

B 0.11 0.10
c 0.08 -

-4ccording to the Haskins group, the duration of change between

two fixed formant frequencies (i. e. from a locus frequency to a
steady-state vowel frequency) is sufficient for discrimination be-
tween stop (or nasal) plus vowel (/ba/), semi-vowel plus vowel
(/\Val), and a vowel of shifting colour (/ua/) (6 ). For a stop or
nasal, the maximum transition time is 0.08 sec. ( 5 ) . Only one of
the above results (0.09) exceeds this limit. For /w j r/, Haskins give
a transition duration of 0.10 sec. and for /l/, 0.06-0.07 sec. (8).
These results compare well with those above.
One question remains to be considered: does the duration of
transition bear a constant relation to the duration of the whole
formant, or is i t absolute? From what has already been said, one
would expect the duration to be rather fixed; otherwise, a syllable
/ba: ,/, said with a n overlong vowel, would be in danger of sound-
ing like h a : / , for the Zransitions mould be drawn out beyond the
limits for a stop consonant. This, we know, does not happen. In
the sound sequences used in this study, the second syllable was
always longer than the first because of the iambic stress pattern.
-4glance at the table of transition times reveals, however, that
whilst the transitions are usually (though not always) longer i n
the longer syllable, the increase in duration is slight and by no
means proportional to the increase in the duration of the whole
formant. This finding was put to the test by measuring the tran-
sitions of a sniall number of spectrograms made from abnormally
prolonged or abbreviated sequences (see Appendix, figs. 19-20).
In the table of resu1,ts below, columns 3 - 4 represent the prolonged
sequences.

64
 CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

1 2 3 4

/da:da:d/ A 0.08 0.21 0.30 0.41 sec.

R 0.03 - 0.08 0.07
c - - 0.04 0.04

1da:da:dl A 0.13 0.25 0.40 0.40

B 0.06 0.07 0.10 0.09
C 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.06

/ga:ga:gf .I 0.12 0.13 0.40 0.38

B 0.07 0.07 0.08 0.08
C 0.04 0.04 0.05 0.05

The shortest stop transition which it was possible to produce had

a duration of 0.03 sec. (for a vowel of 0.08 sec.) and the longest a
duration of 0.10 sec. (for a vowel of 0.40 sec.) . Thus it seems that
transitions move within fairly strict limits.

Conclusion
The point of departure for all the experiments made at the
Haskins Laboratories has been observation of actual spectrograms.
But the experiments themselves have been made with synthetic
speech, which has the s e a t advantage of permitting controlled
investigations, i. e. investigations where all ,the factors present are
known, and each can be isolated and examined independently of
the others. The results, however, remain valid for synthetic speech
only and say nothing in themselves about human speech, where
other factors may play a role and give rise to compensations etc.
But, of course, the probability of their being true for human
speech, too, is very high and seems to be confirmed by this in-
vest i ga t ion.

REFERENCES
1 . Potter, Kopp, Green. Visible Speech, Van Norstrand, New York, 1947.
2. Joos. -4coustic Phonetics, Language Monographs No. 23, 1’345.
3. Libernian. Delattre, Cooper, The r61e of selected stimulus-variables in the
perception of the unuoiced stop consonnnts, .\nierican Journal of Psycho-
logy, VOI. LXV, pp. 497-516, 1952.
-1. Cooper, Delattre, Liberman, Borst, Gerstman, Some erpcrimcnts on the
perception of synthetic spcech sounds. Journ. .icoust. SOC. Am., 24,
pp. 59i-606, 1952.

63
 PETER S. GREEN

5. Liberman, Uelattre, Cooper, Gerstman, T h e rble of consonant-vowel tran-

sitions in the perception o f the stop and nasal consonnnts, Psychological
bfonograplis No. 379, Vol. 68, No. 8, 1954.
6. Gerstman, Liberman, Delattre, Cooper, Rate and durntion of change in for-
mant frequency as cues for the identification of speech sounds, Journ.
Acoust. SOC.Am., 26, 5, p. 952, 1954.
7. Delattre, Libernian, Cooper, Acoustic loci and transitional cues for con-
sonants, Journ. .4coust. SOC.Am., 27, 4, pp. 769-773, 1955.
8. O'Connor, Gerstnian, Liberman, Delattre, Cooper, Acoustic cues for the
perception of initial l w j r l l in English, Word, Vol. 13, So. 1, pp. 24-
43, 1957.
9. Libermann, Delattre, Cooper, Some cues for the distinction between voiced
ctnd voiceless stops in initial position, Language and Speech, 1, 3,
pp. 153-167, 1958.
10. Harris, Hoffman, Liberman, Delattre, Cooper, Effect of third-formanf trcin-
sitions on the perception of the voiced stop consonants, Journ. Acoust.
SOC. Am., 30, 2, pp. 122-126, 1958.
11. Hoffman, ..l study of some cues in the perception of voiced stop consononts,
Journ. Acoust. SOC.Am., 30, 11, pp. 1035-1041, 1958.
12. Harris, Cues for the identification of the fricatives of rlnierican English.
Journ. Acoust. SOC.Am., 26, 5, p. 952, 1954.
13. - Cues for the discrimination o/ American English fricatives i n spoken
syllables, Language and Speech, 1, 1, pp. 1-7, 1958.
14. Durand, La perception des consonnes occlusives, Studia Linguistica, VIII,
pp. 110-122, 1954.
15.- De la perception des consonnes occlusiues; questions d e sonoriti, Word,
Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 1 5 - 3 4 , 1956.
16. Lisker, Minirrinl cues for sepnrnting h u r l yt in intervocalic position, Word,
Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 350-267, 1957.
17. Meyer, Englische Lautdauer, 1903.
18. Delattre, Two-formant synthetic vowels and cardinal vowels, Le Maftre
Phoneticlue, July-December, 1951.
19. Delattre, Libernian, Cooper, Gerstman, An esperimentnl study o f the
cicoustic determinants of vowel color; observations on one- rind two-
formant uoivcls synthesi-ed jronl spectrographic patterns, Word, Vol. 8,
NO.3, pp. 195-210, 1952.
 CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

APPENDIX
Time meusurements in seconds
Schematic spectrogram

1 2 3 4

Second

- - I
\ 1{ / formant

I ’
t
I
LJ
CI
I
I I
I

1 2 3 4
A 0.10 0.19 0.10 0.18
B 0.05 - 0.05 -
C 0.05 - 0.05 -
A 0.13 0.18 0.14 0.20
B - 0.05 - 0.05
C - 0.04 - -
A 0.13 0.18 0.12 0.18
B - - - -
C - - - -
A 0.15 0.22 0.16 0.21
B - - - -
C - - - -
A 0.13 0.2 1 0.12 0.20
B - - - -
C - - - -

67
 PETER S. GREEN

1 2 3 4
t p3 :pa :p! A 0.16 0.23 0.17 0.22
13 - 0.04 0.04 0.05
C I 0.04 0.04 0.06
/bi:bi :b/ A 0.17 0.23 0.16 0.23
B 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06
C 0.06 0.05 - 0.03
Ibebzbl x 0.16 0.24 0.18 0.23
B 0.08 0.05 - 0.08
C 0.08 - 0.10
I ba :ba :b! A 0.19 0.25 0.117 0.24
13 - 0.04 -
c - - -
tb3:b3:h/ A 0.20 0.28 0.20 0.30
B - - - -
C - -
1bu:bu:hl 0.17 0.24 0.18 0.27
- - - -

1ba:ba:b/ h 0.21 0.26 0.28

B
C
/mi:mi:nil .I 0.13 0.117 0.13 0.17
B 0.05 0.07 0.05 0.06
c 0.03 0.04 0.04 0.06
t m Emmml .\ 0.14 0.23 0.14 0.22
13 0.03 0.02 0.017 0.06
C 0.0-4 0.05 0.07 0,.0.8
Inin :ma:nil .I 0.16 0.27 0.18 0.28
R 0.02 0.03 0.02 0.02
C 0.02 0.03 0.02 0.06
,'ma :1113:iiii .I 0.18 0.27 0.20 0.29
B - - - -
C L

68
 CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

1 2 3 4
/mu:mu:ml A 0.16 0.20 0.14 0.23
B - - - -
C - - - --
/nta:ma:m/ A 0.17 0.26 0.18 0.24
B 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03
C 0.0.3 0.03 0.03 0.05
Jwi:wi :I A 0.22 0.35 0.20 0.30
B 0.12 0.15 0.07 0.07
C 0.10 - 0.02 -
/wae\vae/ A 0.20 0.25 0.18 0.25
B 0.10 0.10 0.11 0.12
C 0.10 - 0.07 -
1wa:wa :I A 0.25 0.33 0.25 0.32
B 0.13 0.08 0.13 0.08
C 0.10 - 0.13 -
/w3 :w3:I -4 0.30 0.35 0.35 0.35
B 0.09 - 0.06 0.07
C 0.05 - 0.04 -
/wu :wu :I A 0.24 0.31 0.20 0.20
B 0.07 0.08 0.11 0.10
C 0.10 - 0.09 -
/wa: wa :I A 0.25 0.35 0.27 0.35
B 0.08 0.09 0.09 0.07
C 0.08 - 0.07 -
Jfi :f i :f l A 0.18 0.20 0.17 0.11
B 0.07 0.10 0.08 0.10
C - 0.07 0.07 -
/faefaefl A 0.14 0.18 0.16 0.20
B 0.05 0.06 0.06 0.07
C 0.05 0.07 0.05 0.05
/fa:fn:f/ A 0.20 0.30 0.22 0.28
B - - - -
C - - - -

69
 PETER S. GREEN

1 2 3 ‘I

/f3:f3:fl A 0.19 0.27 0.2 1 0.28

B - - - -
C - - - -
/fu: fu :f l A 0.17 0.23 0.18 0.20
B - - - -
C - - - -
If3 :€a:€1 A 0.17 0.26 0.19 0.26
B - - - -
C - - - -
/vi:vi:vl A 0.20 0.28 0.20 0.29
B 0.07 0.10 0.08 0.08
C 0.07 0.07 0.08 0.06
/Va?VEV/ A 0.2 1 0.33 0.22 0.30
B 0.09 OS.09 0.09 0.07
C 0.10 0.08 0.07 -
Iva :va :vl A 0.23 0.34 0.24 0.33
B - - - -
C - - - -
/v3:v3:v/ A 0.24 0.36 0.26 0.37
B - - - -
C - - - -
lvu:vu:vl A 0.20 - 0.18 -
B - - - -
C - - - -
1va:va:vl A 0.22 0.37 0.24 0.37
B - 0.07 - -
C 0.06 - - -
/8i:0i:9/ A 0.19 0.22 0.15 0.19
B 0.10 0.13 0.09 0.10
C - 0.05 0.05 0.04
/e=e=e/ A 0.18 0.27 0.20 0.27
13 - 0.03 - 0.05
C - 0.1.0 - -
70
 CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

1 2 3 4
/Qa:fia:Q/ A 0.20 0.28 0.22 0.28
B - - - -
C - - - -
/03:43:4,1 A 0.23 0.27 0.25 0.25
B 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.03
C 0.03 0.06 - -
/Qu:Ou:Q/ A 0.20 0.25 0.22 0.18
B 0.13 0.15 0.15 0.1 1
C - 0.03 0.03 -
/9a:Qa:O/ .I 0.17 0.26 0.18 0.25
B - - - -
C - - - -
I6i:iJi:i3/ A 0.25 0.35 0.30 0.30
B 0.07 0.10 0.11 0.09
C 0.10 - 0.06 0.04
/trZaEir/ A 0.26 0.37 0.26 0.34
B 0.10 0.05 0.05 0.05
C 0.11 - 0.07 -
Iaa :aa :a/ -4 0.27 0.37 0.27 0.35
B - - - -
C - - - -
/a3: 33: a/ A 0.26 0.37 0.25 0.37
B 0.10 - 0.05 0.05
C 0.07 0.09 0.03 0.08
/au :au :a/ A 0.20 0.40 0.20 0.35
B 0.10 0.20 0.12 0.20
C 0.05 0.10 0.05 0.05
lBa:tra 3 1 A 0.25 0.35 0.25 0.40
B - - - 0.05
C - - - 0.10
/ti:ti: t l A 0.12 0.15 0.10 0.15
B 0.06 - 0.05 -
C 0.06 - 0.05 -
71
 PETER S. GREEN

1 2 3 4
/tetaet/ A 0.13 0.2 1 0.17 0.22
B - - - -
C - - - -
/ta:ta:t/ A 0.13 0.23 0.16 0.22
B - - 0.05 -
C - 0.10 -
/t3:t3: t / A 0.15 0.22 0.16 0.22
B 0.06 0.08 0.05 0.06
C 0.04 0.06 0.04 0.05
/tu:tu:t/ A 0.12 0.17 0.11 0.18
B 0.09 0.08 0.05 0.12
C 0.02 - - 0.06
1ta:ta:tf A 0.14 0.22 0.14 0.2 1
B - - - -
C - - -
Idi :di :d/ A 0.19 0.32 0.19 0.30
B 0.05 0.05 - 0.05
C - - - -
/dadEd/ A 0.20 0.26 0.19 0.28
B - - - -
C - - - -
/da:da:d/ -4 0.25 0.37 0.2’7 0.36
B 0.08 0.07 0.08 0.08
C 0.08 0.08 0.04 0.07
/a3 :aa:a/ A 0.23 0.30 0.23 0.27
B 0.10 0.09 0.10 0.09
C 0.05 0.05 0.06 0.05
/du:du:d/ A 0.22 0.38 0.25 0.36
13 0.13 0.2 1 0.16 0.20
C 0.03 0.05 0.06 0.05
/da:da:d/ A 0.25 0.31 0.26 0.33
B 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04
c 0.05 0.03 0.04 -
72
 CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

I 2 3 4

/nimi :n/ A 0.16 0.20 0.15 0.22

B 0.07 - - 0.05
C 0.03 - - -
/ntmxn/ A 0.18 0.24 0.18 0.22
B - 0.05 0.04 -
C - 0.10 0.05 -
/na:na:n/ A 0.17 0.27 0.16 0.30
B 0.06 0.07 0.07 -
C 0.04 - - -
lnr>:nr>:ni A 0.20 0.28 0.21 0.27
B 0.07 0.06 0.08 0.07
C 0.05 0.05 0.04 0.05
/nu :nu:n/ ,4 0.19 0.23 0.18 0.22
B 0.10 0.10 0.1 1 0.12
C - - 0.03 -
/na:na :n/ A 0.22 0.27 0.20 0.28
B 0.06 - - -
C - - - -
I1i:li :I/ A 0.15 0.18 0.15 0.17
B 0.06 0.04 0.07 0.06
C 0.04 0.05 0.07 0.05
/Iselel/ A 0.18 0.22 0.18 0.20
B - 0.04 - 0.03
C - 0.08 0.04 0.08
/la:la:l/ A 0.23 0.33 0.23 0.33
B 0.05 0.03 0.06 0.04
C 0.03 - - -

l12:lJ :1/ A 0.22 0.30 0.23 0.30

B 0.06 0.03 0.05 0.04
C 0.02 - 0.03 -

/lu :lu :I/ A 0.16 0.22 0.15 0.22

B 0.11 0.15 0.08 0.15
C 0.02 - 0.02 -

G 73
 PETER S. GREEN

1 2 3 4

/la:la:l/ A 0.20 0.28 0.20 0.24

B 0.04 0.05 0.05 -
C - - - -
/si:si:s/ A 0.17 0.19 0.14 0.21
B 0.09 0.13 0.09 0.09
C 0.03 0.05 0.03 -
/ssxes/ A 0.20 0.26 0.20 0.26
B 0.08 0.07 - -
C - - - -
/sa:sa:s/ A 0.2 1 0.25 0.22 0.27
B 0.05 0.05 0.06 0.07
C 0.06 - - 0.08
1 5 3 :s 3 : s l A 0.18 0.27 0.18 0.25
B 0.06 0.07 0.07 -
C 0.05 0.06 - -
/su:su:s/ -4 0.17 0.25 0.18 0.25
B 0.10 0.15 0.11 0.15
C 0.05 0.08 - -
/sa :sa:s/ A 0.18 0.25 0.20 0.2.5
B - - - -
C - - - -
lzi:zi:zi A 0.23 0.30 0.22 0.32
B 0.10 0.08 0.07 0.06
C 0.08 - 0.05 0.09
/zaezaez/ A 0.27 0.40 0.24 0.37
B - - - -
C - - - -
/za:zn:z/ A 0.20 0.40 0.22 0.40
B - - - -
C - - -
/z3:z3 :z/ A 0.24 0.38 0.23 0.35
B 0.06 0.06 0.07 0.07
C 0.06 0.08 0.09 0.06

74
CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

1 2 3 4
A 0.22 0.32 0.22 0.30
B 0.10 0.12 0.07 0.12
C 0.07 0.09 0.05 0.07
A 0.23 0.33 0.25 0.30
B - - - -
C - - - -
A 0.23 0.20 0.25 0.20
B 0.10 0.12 0.07 0.11
C 0.06 - 0.05 -
A 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25
I3 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05
C - - - -
A 0.25 0.35 0.27 0.30
B - - - -
C - - - -
A 0.25 0.32 0.24 0.30
B 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.05
C - - - -
A 0.22 0.25 0.25 0.35
B - - - -
C - - - -
4 0.28 0.37 0.32 0.35
B - - - -
C - - - -
A 0.15 0.20 0.17 0.22
B - - - -
C - - - -
A 0.20 0.25 0.20 0.23
3 0.03 0.05 0.04 0.06
C - - 0.03 0.05
A 0.22 0.33 0.2 1 0.27
B 0.06 0.05 0.05 0.05
C 0.08 0.05 0.03 -
75
 PETER S. GREEN

1 2 3 4
A 0.20 0.30 0.19 0.25
B 0.07 0.06 0.07 0.07
C 0.05 0.05 0.04 0.05
A 0.18 0.25 0.20 0.22
B 0.1 1 0.1 1 0.11 0.15
C 0.03 - 0.04 0.03
A 0.21 0.28 0.2 1 0.27
B 0.05 0.07 0.04 0.05
C 0.10 0.06 0.05 -
A 0.23 0.33 0.25 0.30
B - - - -
C - - - -
A 0.21 0.40 0.23 0.37
B 0.05 0.07 0.04 0.07
C 0.03 - 0.06 0.05
A 0.25 0.37 0.26 0.40
B 0.05 0.07 0.05 0.06
C 0.05 0.09 0.05 0.08
A 0.27 0.40 0.28 0.40
B 0.12 0.10 0.07 0.1 1
C 0.11 0.09 0.09 0.10
A 0.26 0.42 0.22 0.35
B 0.13 0.15 0.10 -
C 0.07 0.12 0.06 0.10
A 0.25 0.45 0.24 0.40
B 0.05 0.07 0.05 0.04
C 0.05 0.10 0..05 0.09
A 0.18 0.35 0.25 0.35
B - - - -
C - - - -
A 0.20 0.30 0.20 0.28
B 0.10 0.12 0.10 0.11
C 0.10 - 0.10 -

76
 CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

1 2 3 4

I j a :ja:l .4 0.25 0.35 0.27 0.32

B 0.10 0.09 0.11 0.10
C 0.08 - 0.08 -
I j D :j3:I -4 0.25 0.35 0.25 0.33
B 0.11 0.07 0.12 0.10
C 0.08 - 0.08 -
Iju:ju:/ A 0.22 0.28 0.22 0.25
B 0.13 0.15 0.14 0.12
C 0.09 - 0.08 -
I j a :j a : l A 0.24 0.26 0.26 0.32
B 0.08 0.07 0.08 0.08
C 0.07 - 0.06 -
Iki :k i :k/ A 0.13 0.li 0.13 0.15
B - - - -
C - - - -

Iksekzkl A 0.15 0.22 0.15 0.21

B 0.05 0.05 0.04 0.03
C 0.05 0.05 0.06 0.08
1ka:lca:kl A 0.18 0.22 0.17 0.21
B - - - -
C - - - -
IkD :l a :k/ A 0.15 0.22 0.13 0.2 1
B - - - -
C - - - -
iku:ku:k/ A 0.10 0.17 0.12 0.16
B - - - -
C - - - -
Ika:ka:k/ A 0.17 0.22 0.19 0.22
B 0.04 - 0.02 -
C 0.03 0.05 0.03 0.05
1gi:gi:gl A 0.18 0.22 0.18 0.2 1
B - - - -
C - - - -

57
 PETER S. GREEN

1 3 3 4
A 0.21 0.30 0.25 0.29
B 0.05 0.05 0.04 0.08
C 0.05 0.05 0.06 0.05
A 0.20 0.23 0.21 0.25
B 0.06 0.07 0.07 0.06
C 0.05 0.04 0.04 -
A 0.24 0.32 0.22 0.32
I3 - - - 0.06
C 0.05 - 0.04 -
A 0.18 0.23 0.15 0.24
B 0.05 - 0.05 -
C - - - -
-4 0.22 0.30 0.20 0.30
B 0.05 0.07 0.06 0.05
C 0.M 0.07 0.06 0.05
A 0.21 0.24 0.20 0.2.i
B - 0.04 - 0.05
C 0.05 - 0.07 0.10
A 0.20 0.30 0.20 0.29
B - 0.07 - 0.07
C 0.10 0.12 0.06 0.11
A 0.22 0.35 0.24 0.32
B - - - 0.10
C - - -
A 0.24 0.30 0.20 0.30
B - 0.06 - 0.07
C - - - -
A 0.17 0.25 0.17 0.24
13 - 0.05 - 0.07
C - - - -
A 0.22 0.30 0.22 0.25
B - 0.06 - 0.07
C - - - -

78
 CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

/hi:hi:/ A 0.15
B -
C -
/haehae/ A 0.20
B -
C -
/ha :ha :I A 0.22
B -
c -
IhD :h3 :I A 0.20
B -
C -
/hu:hu :I A 0.25
B -
C -
/ha :ha :I A 0.23
B -
C -
 PETER S. GREEN

Snmple spectrograms

.-

Figs. 1-6: /d/ conibined with the sir vowels /i: n! a: 3: u: a:/.
 CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

Figs. 7-10: /a:/ combined with the alveolar consonants /t n 1 z/. Note similarity
of second-formant transitions.

XI
 PETER S. GREEN

Figs. 11-13: /i:/ combined with the labial consonants /b m f/. Note similarity
of second-formant transitions.
 CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

Figs. 14-16: la:/ combined with the fricatives /f 8 f/. Note how second-formant
locus-frequency rises as place of production recedes in the mouth.

83
 PETER S. GREEN

Figs. 17-18: /lz?l4/ and /rzre/. Note similarity of second-formant, clear dis-
similarity of third-formant, transitions.

3 a: 9 9: a: 9
f < I
Figs. 19-20; /ga:ga:g/ abnormally abbreviated and prolonged.
CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

Tracings

/' '

85
 PETER S. GREEN

\I -.-.
86
CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

87
PETER S. GREEN

-- ll#O
rror

-- am
4
.
0
a

88
 CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

7 89
PETER S. GREEN

90
CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

91
PETER S. GREEN

92
CONSONANT-VO WEL TRANSITIONS

1:

I
a:

9:

r-t3
I purr-

93
 PETER S. GREEN

t-d-I

L. -

4-
0

94
CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

95
 PETER S. GREEN

\ \ I,
\

96
COXSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

-.
-.
I$-

E;
 PETER S. GREEN

\ \ I I- urn I

98
CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

99
 PETER S. GREEN

1-33
I t CIw-
b4-

.
*M.

100
CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

I pk k- I
I Il//
I ,

I I

101
 PETER S. GREEN

I-j-I
qbb-

*u+ \
-
c
:

- 4-
a

Jlu

lbr0
1140
1k!
- ,:

- 4-
-)op

- *

102
CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

103
 PETER S. GREEN

FYI

I t ’ I

1-91

104
 CONSONANT-VOWEL TRANSITIONS

8 105