SOAS Research Online

Abstract

The study was based on electromyographic investigation techniques. Surface bipolar paint-on electrode type was employed. Data analysis was manually manipulated. The muscles undergoing investigation were those of the lip muscles: orbicularis oris inferioris, depressor labii inferioris and mentalis. Muscular activation of each muscle was studied in terms of two dimensions: time dimension and intensity dimension. Time dimension (in msec.) was divided into two categories: time-onset and time-duration. Intensity was studied by comparing temporal difference of averaged integrated curves of vowel production of the same muscle. Muscular activation of the three muscles was also studied from the point of view of time-coordination; that is to say the sequence of activation of the muscles in the production of a specific vowel over a period of time. The results of the investigation are discussed in terms of the roles of the three muscles in the articulatory aspects of the vowels. Also discussions in relation to traditional views of the universality of the syllable structure CV, the treatment of rounding, tense/lax in the distinctive feature model of phonology are presented.