Contextual reduction of word-final /l/ in Spanish: An EPG study

This article presents data on the contextual reduction of /l/ in Spanish. Electropalatography (EPG) was used to examine realisations word-final prevocalic and preconsonantal environments order determine what extent articulatory is attributable coarticulation with following segments. Previous studies using static palatography (Josselyn 1907) describe continuous relaxation stricture associated different phonological environments. These descriptions, turn, have informed standard reference works Spanish phonetics (e.g. Navarro Tomás 1957, Gili Gaya 1966). Additionally, theoretical work other languages has argued favour syllable-based accounts /l/-allophony patterns English /l/-darkening vocalisation), whereas instrumental revealed complexities these that challenge analyses. The findings EPG study reported here confirm /l/-reduction a gradient phenomenon arises due antagonistic coarticulatory forces. Thus, emerge cannot be predicted basis syllabification algorithms alone.