The distribution of perceptual cues in English prevocalic fricatives.

Two experiments involving deletion of selected segments of syllables were undertaken to investigate the distribution of perceptual cues and the role of right-to-left coarticulation in fricative vowel monosyllables. From 12 original syllables (/f, theta, s, integral/ in combination with /i, u, a/), manipulations were made so that a group of listeners were exposed to transitionless syllables and isolated segments of syllables. Consonant and vowel recognition scores under these conditions showed that right-to-left coarticulation effects are perceptible, but do not contribute to consonant identification. The vocalic effects shown for many monosyllables were consistent with a normalization hypothesis. In agreement with previous literature, spectral cues in frication determine /s, integral/ recognition. These cues also contribute to the identification of many /f/ and /theta/ syllables.