Measurement of the VOT of voiceless plosives: multiple bursts in Western Andalusian Spanish

Abstract

Multiple bursts (MBs) of plosives have been frequently reported but not sufficiently quantified. This study sought to examine experimentally MBs in a Spanish variety and to reveal the role of MBs when analyzing the VOT of voiceless plosives. 567 productions of /p t k/ by twenty-one speakers were analyzed. Findings indicated that two VOT measurement methods in the presence of MBs produced substantially different VOT values. MBs were also conditioned to different degrees by place of articulation, vowel height, and speech rate. This study has significant implications for research on VOT of voiceless plosives.