Biological and social grounding of phonology : variation as a research tool
Citation
Scobbie, J. (2007) Biological and social grounding of phonology : variation as a research tool, Proceedings of the 16th International Congress of the ICPhS, , , pp. 225-228,
Abstract
Phonological-phonetic sound systems are abstractions
away from substance, so while they are
grounded in biological capacity, they also reflect
phonetically un-natural relationships arising from a
variety of linguistic factors. Sociolinguistic variation
is one of these non-biological factors.
Pilot articulatory results are presented from
derhoticised Scottish English. It can have onset/
coda allophony far more radical than the systems
that are normally examined in articulatory
research. Ultrasound analysis shows acoustic
rhoticity in codas may have a post-alveolar constriction
so delayed that acoustic rhoticity is covert.
Perceptual recoverability of social identity has to
be considered in addition to plain phonetic factors.