Characterizing rhotic articulation in Australian English using ultrasound

Michael Proctor; Jae-Hyun Kim; Joshua Penney; Louise Ratko; Felicity Cox

Characterizing rhotic articulation in Australian English using ultrasound

Michael Proctor^*, Jae-Hyun Kim, Joshua Penney, Louise Ratko, Felicity Cox

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Linguistics

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding contribution › peer-review

Abstract

Rhotic approximants in English are produced with considerable articulatory variability across speakers and contexts. Although this variability has been examined in North American, British
and New Zealand varieties, it has not been documented using instrumental methods in Australian English (AusE). We therefore examined rhotic approximants produced by six speakers of AusE in nine vowel contexts using ultrasound tongue imaging. Three broad patterns of tongue shaping were observed, and speakers differed in the type and degree of vocalic influence on rhotic posture. Implications for phonological characterization of AusE /ô/ are discussed, along with methodological considerations for ultrasound studies.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the nineteenth Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology
Subtitle of host publication	SST 2024
Editors	Olga Maxwell, Rikke Bundgaard-Nielsen
Place of Publication	Melbourne, Victoria
Publisher	Australasian Speech Science and Technology Association
Pages	82-86
Number of pages	5
Publication status	Published - 2024
Event	Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology (19th : 2024) - Melbourne, Australia Duration: 3 Dec 2024 → 5 Dec 2024

Publication series

Name	Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology
ISSN (Electronic)	2207-1296

Conference

Conference	Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology (19th : 2024)
Country/Territory	Australia
City	Melbourne
Period	3/12/24 → 5/12/24

Keywords

rhotics
ultrasound tongue imaging
Australian English
liquids
articulation

Cite this

Proctor, M., Kim, J.-H., Penney, J., Ratko, L., & Cox, F. (2024). Characterizing rhotic articulation in Australian English using ultrasound. In O. Maxwell, & R. Bundgaard-Nielsen (Eds.), Proceedings of the nineteenth Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology: SST 2024 (pp. 82-86). (Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology). Australasian Speech Science and Technology Association.

Proctor, Michael ; Kim, Jae-Hyun ; Penney, Joshua et al. / Characterizing rhotic articulation in Australian English using ultrasound. Proceedings of the nineteenth Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology: SST 2024. editor / Olga Maxwell ; Rikke Bundgaard-Nielsen. Melbourne, Victoria : Australasian Speech Science and Technology Association, 2024. pp. 82-86 (Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology).

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title = "Characterizing rhotic articulation in Australian English using ultrasound",

abstract = "Rhotic approximants in English are produced with considerable articulatory variability across speakers and contexts. Although this variability has been examined in North American, Britishand New Zealand varieties, it has not been documented using instrumental methods in Australian English (AusE). We therefore examined rhotic approximants produced by six speakers of AusE in nine vowel contexts using ultrasound tongue imaging. Three broad patterns of tongue shaping were observed, and speakers differed in the type and degree of vocalic influence on rhotic posture. Implications for phonological characterization of AusE /{\^o}/ are discussed, along with methodological considerations for ultrasound studies.",

keywords = "rhotics, ultrasound tongue imaging, Australian English, liquids, articulation",

author = "Michael Proctor and Jae-Hyun Kim and Joshua Penney and Louise Ratko and Felicity Cox",

year = "2024",

language = "English",

series = "Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology",

publisher = "Australasian Speech Science and Technology Association",

pages = "82--86",

editor = "Olga Maxwell and Rikke Bundgaard-Nielsen",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the nineteenth Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology",

note = "Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology (19th : 2024) ; Conference date: 03-12-2024 Through 05-12-2024",

}

Proctor, M , Kim, J-H , Penney, J , Ratko, L & Cox, F 2024, Characterizing rhotic articulation in Australian English using ultrasound. in O Maxwell & R Bundgaard-Nielsen (eds), Proceedings of the nineteenth Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology: SST 2024. Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology, Australasian Speech Science and Technology Association, Melbourne, Victoria, pp. 82-86, Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology (19th : 2024), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3/12/24.

Characterizing rhotic articulation in Australian English using ultrasound. / Proctor, Michael ; Kim, Jae-Hyun ; Penney, Joshua et al.
Proceedings of the nineteenth Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology: SST 2024. ed. / Olga Maxwell; Rikke Bundgaard-Nielsen. Melbourne, Victoria: Australasian Speech Science and Technology Association, 2024. p. 82-86 (Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Characterizing rhotic articulation in Australian English using ultrasound

AU - Proctor, Michael

AU - Kim, Jae-Hyun

AU - Penney, Joshua

AU - Ratko, Louise

AU - Cox, Felicity

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Rhotic approximants in English are produced with considerable articulatory variability across speakers and contexts. Although this variability has been examined in North American, Britishand New Zealand varieties, it has not been documented using instrumental methods in Australian English (AusE). We therefore examined rhotic approximants produced by six speakers of AusE in nine vowel contexts using ultrasound tongue imaging. Three broad patterns of tongue shaping were observed, and speakers differed in the type and degree of vocalic influence on rhotic posture. Implications for phonological characterization of AusE /ô/ are discussed, along with methodological considerations for ultrasound studies.

AB - Rhotic approximants in English are produced with considerable articulatory variability across speakers and contexts. Although this variability has been examined in North American, Britishand New Zealand varieties, it has not been documented using instrumental methods in Australian English (AusE). We therefore examined rhotic approximants produced by six speakers of AusE in nine vowel contexts using ultrasound tongue imaging. Three broad patterns of tongue shaping were observed, and speakers differed in the type and degree of vocalic influence on rhotic posture. Implications for phonological characterization of AusE /ô/ are discussed, along with methodological considerations for ultrasound studies.

KW - rhotics

KW - ultrasound tongue imaging

KW - Australian English

KW - liquids

KW - articulation

UR - https://assta.org/sst-2024/proceedings/

M3 - Conference proceeding contribution

T3 - Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology

SP - 82

EP - 86

BT - Proceedings of the nineteenth Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology

A2 - Maxwell, Olga

A2 - Bundgaard-Nielsen, Rikke

PB - Australasian Speech Science and Technology Association

CY - Melbourne, Victoria

T2 - Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology (19th : 2024)

Y2 - 3 December 2024 through 5 December 2024

ER -

Proctor M , Kim JH , Penney J , Ratko L , Cox F. Characterizing rhotic articulation in Australian English using ultrasound. In Maxwell O, Bundgaard-Nielsen R, editors, Proceedings of the nineteenth Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology: SST 2024. Melbourne, Victoria: Australasian Speech Science and Technology Association. 2024. p. 82-86. (Australasian International Conference on Speech Science and Technology).

Characterizing rhotic articulation in Australian English using ultrasound

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

Other files and links

Visualising Voice and Speech (VisVoiS): Bridging Experimental and Clinical Research to Accelerate Impactful Discovery

MQRAS0001053: Visualising complex speech sounds: a study of rhotic consonants – evidence from ultrasound of the tongue

Cite this

Characterizing rhotic articulation in Australian English using ultrasound

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

Other files and links

Projects

Visualising Voice and Speech (VisVoiS): Bridging Experimental and Clinical Research to Accelerate Impactful Discovery

MQRAS0001053: Visualising complex speech sounds: a study of rhotic consonants – evidence from ultrasound of the tongue

Cite this