Acoustic characteristics of English /w,r,l/ spoken correctly by young children and adults

This report presents the results of a spectrographic analysis of word−initial allophones of /w/, /r/, and /l/ produced by three− to four−year−old children and adults. Information was obtained concerning formant frequencies, steady−state durations, transition durations, and transition rates of each of the first three formants of these sonorants. The results demonstrate that the phonemes investigated are distinguishable on the basis of their temporal, as well as their spectral, acoustic characteristics. Subject Classification: 70.20, 70.40.