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. 2017 Jul:63:75-86.
doi: 10.1016/j.wocn.2017.05.002. Epub 2017 May 23.

Voice Onset Time (VOT) at 50: Theoretical and practical issues in measuring voicing distinctions

Arthur S Abramson  1 , D H Whalen  1   2   3
Affiliations

Voice Onset Time (VOT) at 50: Theoretical and practical issues in measuring voicing distinctions

Arthur S Abramson et al. J Phon. 2017 Jul.

Abstract

Just over fifty years ago, Lisker and Abramson proposed a straightforward measure of acoustic differences among stop consonants of different voicing categories, voice onset time (VOT). Since that time, hundreds of studies have used this method. Here, we review the original definition of VOT, propose some extensions to the definition, and discuss some problematic cases. We propose a set of terms for the most important aspects of VOT and a set of Praat labels that could provide some consistency for future cross-study analyses. Although additions of other aspects of realization of voicing distinctions (F0, amplitude, duration of voicelessness) could be considered, they are rejected as adding too much complexity for what has turned out to be one of the most frequently used metrics in phonetics and phonology.

Keywords: VOT (Voice Onset Time); consonants; duration; stops; voicing.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Examples of the three main categories of stop (in this case, for Thai). From Lisker & Abramson (1964); used by permission.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Praat display of the beginning portion of an English prevoiced [ga]. The burst is highlighted in grey.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Production of “books” (left) and “two books” right by the second author. The first [b] has a 5 ms VOT, while the second has a −67 ms VOT (with 11 ms of voicelessness following the release).
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Examples of closures from “tugging” (left) and “tucking” right as produced by the second author. The voiceless “closure” of the [k] is highlighted in grey; the noise indicates incomplete closure.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Example of aspirated [s], from the first author’s production. The first syllable is [sa] with a 0 ms VOT; the second is [sha], with the positive VOT (75 ms) marked in grey shading.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Overlap of voicing and aspiration. Selection of the utterance [khα] from a speaker of American English. Highlighted region shows 2–5 glottal pulses of overlap with aspiration.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Examples of VOTs in [αCα], with the consonant varying in each panel. a) [b], b) [p], and c) [ph]. Produced by the first author, a speaker of English, bilingual in Thai. The VOTs are highlighted in grey, with the values: a) −158 ms, b) 13 ms, and c) 62 ms.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Examples of VOTs in [αCα], with the consonant varying in each panel. a) [b], b) [p], and c) [ph]. Produced by the first author, a speaker of English, bilingual in Thai. The VOTs are highlighted in grey, with the values: a) −158 ms, b) 13 ms, and c) 62 ms.
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References

    1. Abramson AS. Laryngeal timing in consonant distinctions. Phonetica. 1977;34:295–303. - PubMed
    1. Abramson AS. Laryngeal timing in Karen obstruents. In: Bell-Berti F, Raphael L, editors. Producing speech: Contemporary issues. For Katherine Safford Harris. Woodbury, NY: American Institute of Physics Press; 1995. pp. 155–165.
    1. Abramson AS, Lisker L. Voice onset time in stop consonants: Acoustic analysis and synthesis. Rapports du 5e Congrès International d'Acoustique. 1965;1a:A51.
    1. Abramson AS, Lisker L. Laryngeal behavior, the speech signal, and phonological simplicity. In: Graur A, editor. Actes du Xe Congrès International des Linguistes 1967. Bucarest: Éditions de l'Académie de la République Socialiste de Roumanie; 1969. pp. 123–129.
    1. Abramson AS, Lisker L. Voice timing in Korean stops. In: Rigault A, Charbonneau R, editors. Proceedings of the Seventh International Congress of Phonetic Sciences, 1971. The Hague: Mouton; 1972. pp. 439–446.

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