Word onset effect in interactional speech errors: spontaneous speech versus elicitation

TitleWord onset effect in interactional speech errors: spontaneous speech versus elicitation
Publication TypePresentation
Year of Publication2014
Conference NameDag van de Fonetiek 2014
AuthorsNooteboom, Sieb, and Hugo Quené
PublisherNederlandse Vereniging voor Fonetische Wetenschappen
Conference LocationUtrecht, The Netherlands
Abstract

Interactional speech errors are speech errors that have an obvious source in the immediate environment. It has been observed that segmental interactional speech errors are more frequent in word onsets than in other positions. Earlier we have shown that in spontaneous speech this so-called "word onset effect" in interactional errors in spontaneous speech may be fully explained by the number of opportunities segments in different positions in the word have for interaction with other segments in the immediate environment. However, there is experimental evidence for a real word onset effect in elicited interactional speech errors.

We will report a tongue twister experiment set up to investigate interactional substitutions of consonants under different elicitation conditions. Results show a real and considerable word-onset effect if the interacting consonants share both word-onset position and pre-stress position as compared to a condition in which they share a word medial position plus pre-stress position. However, when the interacting consonants share neither position in the word nor pre-stress position, error frequency is completely determined by numbers of opportunities. We conclude that the word onset effect is limited to experiments that successfully elicit interactions by selective activation of segments.