This thesis examines the nature of the laryngeal contrast in English fortis and lenis stops. In the phonological literature, two analyses of the English stop contrast have been offered....Show moreThis thesis examines the nature of the laryngeal contrast in English fortis and lenis stops. In the phonological literature, two analyses of the English stop contrast have been offered. Traditionally, fortis and lenis stops are said to have a contrast of voice, the former being voiceless and the latter voiced. According to this analysis, English marks its stops for voice. A second tradition assumes that the contrast is based on aspiration instead. Here, the claim is that English marks its stops for aspiration instead of voice. With the help of a detailed examination of the phonetic realization of English fortis and lenis stops, this thesis considers the advantages and drawbacks of both approaches, and concludes that the aspiration based approach better fits the phonetic facts.Show less
