A Phonetically-Based Optimality Theoretic Account of Consonant ...

Discussion
Po data unambiguously showed that consistently across 6 speakers, word-initial Ipl
was unreduced while word-final IPI was reduced: A significant pressure rise was detected
during the production of word-initial Ipl (Figure 6a), as predicted in the discussion of
Figure 1 b, while no (significant) overall Po change was detected during word-final IPI
(Figure 6b), as predicted in the discussion of Figure la. Furthermore, the intervocalic
Final IPI duration showed sinusoidal oscillation on the audio waveform indicative of
voicing; the absence of Po rise is therefore not the consequence of glottalization (i.e., not
the scenario diagrammed in Figures 2a or 2b). Finally, although it might be argued that the
lack of positive Po in IPI is not due to lenition, but is due to a combination of reduced
glottal flow (voicing) plus short duration, it is clear from the percept (roughly, IPA [13]) that
intervocalic IPI was always reduced. Thus, in interpreting Po of CC clusters, I will
consider a positive Po similar to that in a.pa as indication o/unreduced labial closure, while
an absence o/(significant) overall Po change during IPI or Ipl (accompanied by voicing)
such as in ap.e. as indicating labial reduction.
Part II: Consonant clusters
Summary of attested Po patterns during CC
I use the following notations to qualitatively categorize the Po traces:
AP: All-Positive; positive Po was detected throughout the CC duration.
PN: Positive-then-Negative; positive Po was detected, followed by negative Po.
, PZ: Positive-then-Zero; positive Po was detected during (roughly) the first half of
the CC duration, followed by zero Po during the remaining CC duration.
AZ: All-Zero; no change in Po (zero) was detected throughout the CC duration.
Figures 7 to 10 exemplify these Po patterns. As in the previous figures, the top waveform
in each figure below is the audio, and the bottom is the oral pressure measured behind the
lips. The vertical axis measures pressure, while the horizontal axis measures time. The
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