Voice quality and coda /r/ in Glasgow English in the early 20th century

Abstract

We present acoustic and auditory analyses of changes to coda /r/ and voice quality in Glasgow English in the early 20th century. Our initial acoustic analysis suggests that /r/ was weakening across the board based on an increase in F3. However, an auditory analysis of the same data finds no significant changes. An acoustic analysis of the same speakers’ vowels reveals that the shift in F3 is not unique to /r/. It reflects a change in voice quality, which we link to velarisation using Vocal Profile Analysis. We then reanalyse the acoustic /r/ data controlling for voice quality, and find only moderate changes that are restricted to females. These findings provide new evidence for diachronic changes in voice quality, contribute to our understanding of the development of /r/ in Glasgow English, and highlight the importance of investigating speech sounds in their broader context using multiple methodologies.