FIXED TEMPORAL PATTERNS IN CHILDREN'S SPEECH DESPITE VARIABLE VOWEL DURATIONS.

The current study compared children's and adults' ability to produce inherent and context-specific vowel duration differences with their ability to repeatedly produce the same vowel in the same context. Children (5- and 8-year-olds) and adults produced real English words in a frame sentence multiple times. Mean vowel duration and variability in vowel duration were analysed as a function of the manipulated factors. Results were that children produced exactly the same contrasts as adults despite also exhibiting more variability in their production of individual vowels. The results are consistent with a model where the 'plan' is remembered relative timing information and execution is the achievement of motor goals at specified temporal intervals.