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Inquiries in Hispanic Linguistics: From theory to empirical evidence
Edited by Alejandro Cuza, Lori Czerwionka and Daniel Olson
[Issues in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics 12] 2016
► pp. 241–262

Sociolinguistic implications on perception

The case of the posterior /r/ in Puerto Rican Spanish

ORCID logo | Indiana University
| Indiana University

This investigation examined the interplay of sociolinguistic and phonetic factors on the perception of the posterior /r/ in Puerto Rican Spanish. Delgado-Díaz and Galarza (2015) previously found that the contrast between the posterior /r/ and /h/ tends to be lost in post-pausal position and maintained in intervocalic position. The present investigation found that the perception of the posterior /r/ is influenced by the phonological context, as well as the speaker’s age and sex, reflecting the production patterns and attitudes associated with the posterior /r/ (Graml, 2009). Our results suggest that social cues become more relevant when there is greater phonetic overlap. In addition, our data support the claim that social factors influence speech perception (Drager, 2010).

Keywords: Neutralization, Perception, Posterior /r/, Puerto Rican Spanish, Sociophonetic
Published online: 1 November 2016
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.12.13del
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