fricativizate this!

[Dennis R. Preston]

Bofe.

dInIs

><<I bet that fricativization  overrides position in this
>case, perceptually>>
>
>The difference between the voiced velar stop  [g] (what most people call the
>"hard G") and the voiced velar fricative is ONLY one distinctive feature, and
>not a very noticeable one at that for speakers of English when it is in the
>middle of the word (e.g., the word AGAIN pronounced with a voiced velar
>fricative doesn't even sound very foreign--it ev en happens from time to
>time).
>
>However, the difference between [g] and the "soft G" (the voiced alveopalatal
>africate) is BOTH postional AND mannerial. People think of the voiced
>alveopalatal africate AS "the soft G."
>
>In class, try saying AGAIN with the velar fricative. Then try saying AGAIN
>with the voiced alveopalatal africate. Which one will people notice?

Dennis R. Preston
Professor of Linguistics
Department of Linguistics and Languages
Michigan State University
East Lansing MI 48824-1027 USA
preston at pilot.msu.edu
Office: (517)353-0740
Fax: (517)432-2736