Gemination in Tashlhiyt Berber: an acoustic and articulatory study

International audience Tashlhiyt Berber contrasts singletons and geminates in intervocalic as well as in initial and
final positions. This study presents results of an investigation of the phonetic correlates that
distinguish these types of segments in these three positions. A claim has been made that
Tashlhiyt Berber geminates are simple segments that are distinguished from their singleton
counterparts primarily by tenseness. This proposal is not supported by our data. The
examination of ten temporal and non-temporal parameters shows that consonant duration
is the most systematic correlate across all types of consonants and positions, even for
voiceless stops after pause. Preceding vowel duration and, to a lesser degree, amplitude of
the release were also found to be significantly affected by gemination. These additional
characteristics, interpreted as enhancing correlates, may be present in order to increase the
perceptual distance between the two phonemic categories.