KONTRAS PENYUARAAN BUNYI PLOSIF AWAL KATA OLEH KANAK-KANAK MELAYU: SATU PENELITIAN AWAL (Plosive Voicing Contrast in Initial Word by Malay Children: A Preliminary Research)

Abstract

Voice Onset Time (VOT) is a prominent acoustic cue that indicates plosive voicing contrast in word-initial position. This study is a preliminary research to investigate voicing contrast between voiced and voiceless plosive in initial position produced by Malay children. Acoustic phonetic approach and spectrographic analysis were applied in this study. The contrast was focused on the initial position of Malay words. Result clearly shows that there is an obvious voicing contrast between plosives in initial position. Negative VOT values of voiced plosive show the occurrence of voicing lead before the release of stop closure while positive VOT value of voiceless plosive show the occurrence of voicing lag which showed the occurrence of voicing after the stop release. Exception occurred on children that are three years old, which there is no voicing lag during the production of plosive sound. This shows that they have still not acquired Malay plosive voice. This study has direct implications in the area of Speech and Linguistic Sciences in Malaysia, particularly in the development of acoustic-based speech tests for speech and language therapists. Speech and language therapists may find this study significantly useful as a guide to identifying speech problems and phonological development of Malay children.