VOWELS IN STANDARD AUSTRIAN GERMAN - Acoustics ...

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Vowels in Standard Austrian German
Figure 6.18 gives the deviation for each formant of the vowel /i/ from “liebe” (dear:
ADJ) from the vowel /i/ from “Liebe” (love: N) 147 . Though all /i/s carry primary lexical
stress, the vowel /i/ of the adjective is supposed to bear less stress than the vowel /i/ of
the noun. As concerns spectral modifications of the vowel /i/, three speakers (sp180,
sp012, and sp127) make no difference between the noun and the adjective (z < 1.5).
Speaker sp129 has quite a substantial difference in F1, with lower F1 values for the
noun, indicating a greater mouth opening in the adjective, and a difference in F2, with a
higher F2 value for the noun, i.e. a tighter constriction. Both speakers sp082 and sp126
show differences for F2 and F3, both being higher in the noun, as expected, indicating a
tighter and longer constriction of the tongue with a slightly more forwarded tongue
position in the noun.
In the same way as a specific part of speech, the role in the sentence might show
its effect on the spectral shape of a given vowel. In Figure 6.19, the effects of a
preceding focal word on the stressed syllable of “vergessen” (to forget) 148 are presented.
Only one speaker (sp180) shows a difference between the two positions in the sentence,
insofar as the post-focal position triggers a lower value for F3. For all the other
speakers, the lexically stressed vowel /E/ of “vergessen” is realized in the same way,
regardless of sentence position. Pre-focal distance seems to be of higher relevance;
Figure 6.20 shows the deviation of the vowel /i/ from “diesen” (these: DEM: DAT: PL),
which holds the second position before the noun, from the vowel /i/ from “dieser” (this:
DEM: NOM: SG) 149 which stands directly before the noun.
147 The context of the items was: “unsere liebe Ruth” (our dear: ADJ Ruth) and “die Göttin
der Liebe” (the goddess of love: N).
148 The contexts were: “jetzt hat sie doch glatt vergessen” (now she’s plain forgotten,
postfocal position) and “Leider hab ich vergessen“ (unfortunately I’ve forgotten, default
stress position).
149 The contexts were: “Bei diesen wilden Jagden” (at these: DEM: DAT: PL wild huntings)
and “…, daß dieser Kopf ein ausgezeichnetes Modell […] ist” (… that this: DEM: NOM:
SG head is an excellent model).