The acquisition and dissolution of the voicing contrast in Thai

Abstract

This paper reports data on the acquisition and dissolution of the voicing contrast in Thai word-initial stops, using voice onset time (VOT) as a phonetic measure of this phonological contrast. Thai has a maximum of three voicing categories of stops in word-initial position: a three way opposition (voiced unaspirated, voiceless unaspirated, voiceless aspirated) at the bilabial (/b p ph/) and alveolar (/d t th/) places of articulation and a two way opposition (voiceless unaspirated, voiceless aspirated) at the velar (/k kh/) place of articulation.