Palatalisation can be quantity-sensitive: Dorsal Fricative Assimilation in Liverpool English

This paper shows that the Liverpool English dorsal fricative, derived through lenition of /k/, is subject to place articulation assimilation, driven by preceding vowel. similar vowel-driven aspects typical perseverative Dorsal Fricative Assimilation (a type palatalisation), as found, for example, in German ich-Laut~ach-Laut alternation, where (among other things) a front high or mid vowel followed [ç], and vowels are back dorsal. However, majority pattern differs from previously described cases [ç] only occurs following long vowels, while remains after their short congeners. quantity-sensitive assimilation has not been reported before. We use Centre Gravity measurements investigate this argue an innovative normalisation technique consonant measurements, based on /k/ aspiration linear regression model. thus both expand taxonomy what known be possible phonology also provide new detail description (including proposal featural analysis its system).