Preceding Phonological Context and Cluster Type Effects on Word-Initial /S/-Cluster Pronunciation in Brazilian Portuguese/English Interphonology

Abstract

Research has shown that Brazilians tend to insert a vowel before word-initial //-clusters and to voice the // depending on the following consonant features (e.g., CORNELIAN, 2003; RAUBER, 2006; REBELLO; BAPTISTA, 2006). The present study investigated the perception and production of //-clusters in the Brazilian Portuguese/English interphonology. Production was assessed by three reading tests and perception was assessed by a two-alternative-forced-choice identification test. The stimuli were recorded by three Americans. The main objective of the study was to verify whether phonological context and cluster type would affect amount of misproductions and misperceptions as previous studies have brought different conclusions regarding production, and perception had not been tested regarding phonological context. The results showed that the phonological context did not significantly affect perception and production and that //+sonorant clusters were more difficult than //+stop clusters in both perception and production.