9.2.2 Distribution of aspirated stops
Aspiration affects syllable-initial GA /p,t,k/ in strong syllables, unless /s/ precedes. This accounts for the presence of aspiration and approximant devoicing in the words below. Aspiration (only) is present in the first two words; there is both aspiration and approximant devoicing in the second four.
Aspiration
peel – /piːl/ |
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recall – /riˈkɑːl/ |
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Other examples
return
ten
posses
call
caress
appeal
Aspiration and Approximant Devoicing
pure – /pjʊr/ |
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twin – /twɪn/ |
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betray – /biˈtreɪ/ |
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acute – /əˈkjuːt/ |
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Other examples
queen
repute
predict
tremendous
cravat
The words below have no aspiration and/or approximant devoicing. Note in particular the lack of aspiration in words like spaghetti, stability, skill, etc., and the lack of approximant devoicing in display, distract, obscure, where /s/ precedes the stop in the onset.
Lack of aspiration
spaghetti – /spəˈgɛt̬i/ |
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stability – /stəˈbɪlət̬i/ |
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skill – /skɪl/ |
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Other examples
spin
stern
aspire
restore
discuss
musketeer
Lack of both aspiration and approximant devoicing
display – /dɪˈspleɪ/ |
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distract – /dɪˈstrækt/ |
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obscure – /əbˈskjʊr/ |
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Other examples
spray
string
screen
splenetic
strategic
sclerosis
Ambisyllabic GA /p,t,k/ are not aspirated. While aspiration is always present in coupon, latex, acorn, it is absent in open, later, acre (except in a very formal style of pronunciation). The /p/ in open, for instance, is subject to WSP and as a result is ambisyllabic, and therefore fails to be aspirated. By contrast, the /t/ in latex, which is followed by a strong vowel, is not affected by WSP, and is aspirated. Further examples are found below. Thus, [k] in reckon is similar to AN [k] in rekken, and [p] in happy is similar to AN /p/ in Appie.
Aspiration occurs in
biped – /ˈbaɪpɛd/ |
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latex – /ˈleɪtɛks/ |
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viscount – /ˈvaɪkaʊnt/ |
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Other examples
Ampere
suntax
encore
No aspiration (because of WSP) in
bumpy – /ˈbʌmpi/ |
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after – /ˈæftər/ |
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anchor – /ˈæŋkər/ |
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Other examples
open
atom
reckon
It should be noted that for most speakers, approximant devoicing (as opposed to aspiration proper) does apply after ambisyllabic /p,t,k/. In words like April, liquid, accurate, microphone, where /p,k/ are ambisyllabic because of WSP, (/(eɪ(p)rəl)/, etc.), approximant devoicing devoices /r,w,j/ and /r/, respectively.
April – /ˈeɪprəl/ |
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liquid – /ˈlɪkwɪd/ |
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For all speakers it is the case that /r/ is devoiced after /t/, not just in words like nitrate, inquest, microbe, where /t/ is unisyllabic in the onset of a strong syllable (/(ˈnaɪ)(treɪt)/, etc.), but also in words like country, contra, entry, where /t/ is ambisyllabic.
nitrate – /ˈnaɪtreɪt/ |
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inquest – /ˈɪŋkwɛst/ |
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Advice for Dutch speakers
Try to pronounce a brief voiceless [h] as you release the closure for /p,t,k/ in words like pay, tea, key. If this fails to produce the right results, compare the articulation of Dutch /p,t,k/ in words like pop, tot, kok. You will find that while the initial stops are unaspirated in Dutch, the final stops may be aspirated. If they are, try to pronounce the initial stop in GA pa, Tom, calm like the final Dutch stops. Avoid overgeneralizing aspiration to non-aspirating contexts like those in spin, steel, school. Remember that aspiration is strongest in accented syllables and longer after /k/ and /t/ than after /p/.
