Electropalatographic and spectrographic descriptions of allophonic variants of /l/

Prevocalic and postvocalic /l/ were investigated in three adult subjects utilizing a combination of electropalatographic and acoustic techniques. Results indicated that prevocalic /l/ was characterized by both alveolar and lateral lingua-palatal contact, while postvocalic /l/ was primarily alveolar contact only. Acoustically, prevocalic /l/ had a lower first formant and higher second formant than postvocalic /l/. In addition, the second and third formants were often weak or absent for prevocalic but not postvocalic /l/. Vowel context had a greater effect on the electropalatographic and acoustic characteristics of prevocalic than postvocalic /l/. Models that relate physiogical and acoustical aspects of speech were utilized to account for the observed results.