Syllabification of Intervocalic Consonant Clusters by English and Japanese Speakers

本研究调查了英语和日语使用者如何在双音节英语单词和非单词中对中间辅音集群进行音节化。那些接受过识别英语音节训练的说日语的人也接受了测试。在口头任务中，参与者在英语单词和非单词的两个部分之间插入停顿。在书面任务中，他们从三个选项中选择自己喜欢的分段。虽然音节化的一般模式是将集群分开，但在三个群体中，首选的划分类型有所不同，每种类型都受到其语言中典型音节形状的影响。同时，几个音系因素和形态信息影响了单词的划分方式。语音成色合法性、元音长度和形态知识对被试的反应有跨语言影响，而重音位置仅对英语使用者有影响。任务类型（口头或书面）和刺激物（真实单词或非单词）也会影响音节化。结果讨论了有关语言学和心理语言学的理论或原则的音节。

This study investigated how English and Japanese speakers syllabify intervocalic consonant clusters in two-syllable English words and nonwords. Japanese speakers who had been trained to recognize English syllables were also tested. In oral tasks participant inserted a pause between two parts of English words and nonwords. In written tasks they selected their preferred segmentation among three choices. Although the general pattern of syllabification was to separate the clusters, the preferred types of division differed across three groups, each type influenced by typical syllable shapes in their languages. At the same time, several phonological factors and morphological information affected the way words were divided. Phonotactic legality, vowel length, and morphological knowledge exerted cross-language influence on participants' responses, while stress position had an impact only on English speakers. The types of tasks (oral or written) and stimuli (real words or nonwords) also affected syllabification. The results are discussed in relation to linguistic and psycholinguistic theories or principles of syllabification.