Acoustic and phonological factors in vowel identification

Vowels are better identified in a consonantal syllabic context than as isolated vowels. This finding is contrary to predictions from traditional theories of vowel perception. The poor perception of isolated vowels might be attributed to a lack of dynamic acoustic cues or to familiarity effects related to the phonological rules of English. Vowel identification tests were conducted using six talkers, nine vowels, and seven syllabic contexts. Consonantal context improved vowel identification; final consonants aided identification more than initial consonants. No consistent support was found for the effect of phonological rules but duration information was seen to play a critical role. Results constitute a challenge to traditional theories of vowel perception.