Sound forms
Our Sound forms research activities study the sound properties of linguistic systems through four topics. The first two fall primarily within the field of phonetics and the last two within the field of phonology:
- Characterisation of temporal phenomena
Our work on modelling temporal phenomena seeks to characterise temporal behaviours associated with segmental and supra-segmental phenomena in the production of speech. Activities focus on prosodic matters or on the properties of formant transitions associated with segments. This research is also supported by projects with a more specific focus on psycholinguistic matters (acquisition, mechanisms of perception).
- Analysis of mechanisms of acquisition and psycholinguistic processing of variation
Another area of “Formes Sonores”, directly linked to our research on temporality, examines how the phenomena studied can be implemented within artificial systems and how they are processed in speech synthesis and in auditory system stimulations produced by a cochlear implant. This research involves close collaboration with specialist teams.
- Study of the link between syllable level and segment level
The first component of our research on phonology considers the form and content of phonological representations (phoneme/segment, syllable) and, more specifically, how these units are structured. It draws on developments within Government Phonology and falls within Element Theory.
- Modelling templatic phenomena at the phonology-syntax interface
The second component of our phonology research explores questions at the interface between phonology and syntax – primarily through the lens of templatic morphology in Afroasiatic languages and beyond. Our intention is to move beyond the binary of “templatic languages” and “non-templatic languages” to propose a scale which better describes the phenomena observed.
► For more details, visit the individual pages for LLING members and research topics in the “Doctoral Training” section.