Haskins Publications

Number	1297
Year	2003
Drawer	24
Entry Date	12/19/2007
Authors	Goldstein, L.
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Publication	Proceedings of the 15th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences. Barcelona, Spain. August 3-9, 2003. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, pp. 85-88.
url	http://www.haskins.yale.edu/Reprints/HL1297.pdf
Abstract	In order for constriction actions (gestures) produced by vocal tract articulators to function as phonological primitives, they must be discrete. Two potential sources of discreteness are proposed here: the distinct organs of the oro-facial anatomy that can produce vocal tract constrictions and the differentiation of a given constricting organ’s behavior into distinct actions through mutual attunement among the members of a community. Organ distinctions appear to be more fundamental in that they are already respected at birth, while differentiation of organ action requires experience and may differ from language to language, as is shown in a new simulation presented here. These differences are predicted to affect the course of phonological development: systematic, adult-like deployment of organs should precede differentiation of organ action in children’s early words. Results of a new study support this predication.
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