A cineradiograhic study of static and dynamic aspects of American English /r/

Phonetica. 1980;37(4):253-66. doi: 10.1159/000259995.

Abstract

High speed cineradiograms were used to examine the articulatory characteristics associated with selected allophones of American English /r/. Only one of the three speakers produced a 'retroflexed' /r/ with a raised tongue apex. The other speakers produced a 'bunched' /r/ characterized by a raising of the tongue dorsum. Two basic types of /r/ were observed for all three speakers: (1) prevocalic /r/, which initiated a syllable, and (2) post-vocalic /r/, which terminated a syllable or formed a syllabic nucleus. The prevocalic allophone was characterized by greater lip rounding, a more advanced tongue position, and less tongue dorsum grooving. The two allophones also were associated with different variability and movement attributes. The differences in /r/ allophones were found to be similar to previously reported differences in American English /l/ allophones.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Cineradiography
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lip / diagnostic imaging
  • Lip / physiology
  • Male
  • Movement
  • Phonetics
  • Speech / physiology*
  • Tongue / diagnostic imaging
  • Tongue / physiology