Allophones of Korean /l/: A classification using EMA
Published in Proceedings of the 13th International Seminar on Speech Production, 2024
Abstact: In this paper, an electromagnetic articulography (EMA) study is conducted on four standard Korean speakers to examine their articulation of Korean /l/. Their articulation of /l/ is compared to another sonorant, /n/, in the context of the vowels /a/, /i/, and /u/. Lateralization is quantified by calculating the lateralization angles of both the leftand right-side parasagittal sensors, and retroflexion is examined by observing the angle of elevation seen in the tongue-tip sensor. Considerable intraand inter-speaker variance is observed in the articulation of /l/, with a general tendency for /l/ to be asymmetrically lateralized in coda position, suggesting a lateral approximant articulation. Lateralization appears to be optional in onset position, but the tongue tip is generally raised, indicating a flap, retroflex lateral, or lateral flap articulation. Coda /l/ is also observed to have a tendency to have a raised tongue tip in the context of /a/, suggesting it is a retroflex lateral approximant in this environment.
Recommended citation: **Shibata, Kye**, Hsieh, Feng-fan, & Chang, Yueh-chin. (2024). Allophones of Korean /l/: A classification using EMA. In Proceedings of the 13th International Seminar on Speech Production, 16–19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21437/issp.2024-5
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