(A)Symmetry in vowel features in verbs and pseudoverbs: ERP evidence. (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kotzor, Sandra; Zhou, Beinan; Lahiri, Aditi
• Is Part Of: Neuropsychologia. Volume 143(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: Speech processing -- Lexical representation -- Featural underspecification -- Mismatch negativity -- Phonology; Neuropsychology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Neuropsychologie -- Périodiques; Neuropsychology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107474
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0028-3932

Abstract

Abstract: This paper examines the processing of height and place contrasts in vowels in words and pseudowords, using mismatch negativity (MMN) to determine firstly whether asymmetries resulting from underlying representations found in the processing of vowels in isolation will remain in a word context and secondly whether there is any difference in the way these phonological differences manifest in pseudowords. The stimuli are two sets of English ablaut verbs and corresponding pseudowords ( sit ~ sat /* sif ~ *saf and get ~ got /* gef ~ *gof ) contrasting in vowel height ([high ] vs. [low ]) and place of articulation ([coronal ] vs. [dorsal ]). In line with previous research, the results show a processing asymmetry for place of articulation in both words and nonwords, while different vowel heights result in symmetrical MMN patterns. These findings confirm that an underspecification account provides the best explanation for featural processing and that phonological information is independent of lexical status. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: MMNs reflect underlying feature specification of vowels in words and nonwords. Fully specified opposing vowel height features result in symmetrical MMNs. Coronal underspecification leads to asymmetrical MMNs. Lexical status does not affect MMN patterns.