Is there conflation? An acoustic analysis of vowels in Japanese English

Bibliographic Data

ID20498971
AuthorsToshiko Yamaguchi (0000-0003-1609-0277, University of Malaya, corresponding author), Poh Shin Chiew (0000-0002-3669-891X, University of Malaya)
Year2020
Volume22
Issue1
Pages35-51
Publication date2020-01-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAsian Englishes (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1348-8678 • E-ISSN: 2331-2548
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13488678.2018.1563665
OpenAlexW2909728652
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited17

This article examines whether conflation, a term introduced by Nihalani, occurs among English vowels produced by four Japanese native speakers reading a short English text. On the basis of perceptual, acoustic, and statistical methods, it is argued that conflation is not key to understanding the structure of vowels in Japanese English (JE). Having inspected vowel variants, we conclude the following. First, since conflation is not guaranteed, singular emphasis on suprasegmental features is untenable. Second, vowel space in JE tends to be centralized. As a result, speakers have more difficulty producing open back vowels. Third, the centralized vowel [a], substituted for five vowels (/æ/, /ə/, /ʌ/, /ɜ/, /ɑ/), is not statistically speaking a single sound. Fourth, JE speakers produce near-native vowels to different degrees. Statistical test results showed no significant difference between the pronunciation of the open-mid vowel [ʌ] produced by JE speakers and an American English speaker

American English · Conflation · Formant · Linguistics · Mid vowel · Perception · Pronunciation · Speech recognition · Vowel · Computer Science · History · Lexicography and Language Studies · Linguistic Variation and Morphology · Multilingual Education and Policy · Philosophy · Psychology

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