Forward Coarticulation of Velar Movement at Marked Junctural Boundaries

Using high-speed cinefluorographic techniques, the effects of marked junctural boundaries on the onset of forward velar coarticulation were studied. Three speakers were filmed while producing a constant CVVN sequence with a variety of prosodically marked boundaries falling between the two vowels. Frame-by-frame tracings made of the velum and associated reference structures yielded plots of velar movement over the CVVN sequence. It was found that the onset of forward coarticulation to the nasal consonant was consistently delayed in those cases where marked junctural boundaries were present. Also, two distinct patterns of velar movement were observed, and previous data on velar coarticulation at unmarked boundaries were corroborated. The above findings are discussed in relation to a general model of speech production.