Midsagittal velar kinematics during production of VCV sequences

We present data on velar speech movements examined by electromagnetic articulography (EMA), a tool for the study of velar kinematics. Based on investigations on 22 normal German subjects (15 male, 7 female), movement paths of the velum using a sensor positioned on the midsagittal anterior surface were recorded using a series of high and low vowel VCV utterances. Maximum velar elevation (mean = 13.5 +/- 0.6 mm [SD]) with the rest position as a reference was observed during the production /iti/. The average maximum articulatory velocity of velar movements during /iti/ production was 141.0 mm/sec. Maximum movement of the velum observed during production of /ana/ averaged 7.5 +/- 1.1 mm. The direction of velar movement ranged between 44.6 degrees and 50.4 degrees relative to the bite plane registered electromagnetically. The influence of loudness variation of sequence production is demonstrated and discussed with the literature.