Toward universals in the gestural organization of syllables: A cross-linguistic study of liquids

Asymmetries in the relative timing of gestures in English liquids and nasals have provided the basis for the beginnings of an articulatory definition of the syllable, and both perceptually and biomechanically based hypotheses have been proposed to explain these patterns. However, previous studies have not generally considered intergestural timing in languages other than English, making it impossible to distinguish between these hypotheses, or to substantiate claims of universality of these patterns. This paper presents an ultrasound study measuring intergestural timing of liquids in three syllable positions in six languages. Cross-linguistic generalizations in timing patterns among liquids are identified, and specific questions are tested. While much work remains to be done, results at this stage support the view that both perception (recoverability) and biomechanics (jaw movement cycles) are likely playing a role in determining intergestural timing patterns, with possible tendencies for perceptual recoverability to dominate in onsets and jaw movement cycles to dominate in codas.