| |
Abstract:
Articulatory models give a valuable insight to the actions of
the degrees of freedom of the vocal tract, thus allowing to test
efficiently the classical theories of coarticulation. In this
perspective, we use an anthropomorphic articulatory model of a
French speaker to investigate compensation strategies in the
production of VCVs. The results finally backup Öhman's
dual-channel model of coarticulation, and, at a higher level,
give further evidence for a dual-channel motor control of speech.
We then question the applicability of this model to the issue of
speech ontogeny. Recent developmental studies lead us to propose
that the unfolding of speech acquisition goes from (i) the
mastering of the carrier articulator, i.e. the mandible, that
appears under the form of canonical babbling, to (ii) the
independence of the other articulators which allows the control
of local constrictions, therefore filling the previous
proto-syllabic frames with segmental content, then (iii) the
learning of global control of the vocal tract, maybe guided by
auditory input from the environment, and the tuning of
coarticulation strategies to adult norms, during the first years
of life.
|
