ISCA Archive Eurospeech 1995
ISCA Archive Eurospeech 1995

An investigation of locus equations as a source of information for consonantal place

Mohamed Yeou

This paper investigates to what extent locus equations can distinguish between different consonants varying in place and manner of articulation. The findings are of two kinds. On the one hand, locus equations do not reflect place-of-articulation distinctions when many consonants varying both in place and manner of articulation are considered. On the other hand, locus equations are successful in distinguising place between pharyngealized and non-pharyngealized consonants. Pharyngealized consonants (/Ss, dS, ss, tV) emerge as a totally distinct class, having the flattest locus equations slopes of all consonants. By virtue of their double articulation, these are highly resistant to vowel coarticulation and induce considerable coarticulatory effects on the adjacent vowels.