Comprehensive Phonetics And Phonology – Speech Sounds, Articulatory Features, And Developmental Stages Practice Test

What does a positive Voice Onset Time (VOT) indicate for a stop consonant?

Voicing begins before release Voicing begins after release Voicing begins at the same time as release Voicing is not involved

Correct Answer:

Voicing begins after release

Explanation:

Voice Onset Time measures the interval from when a stop release happens to when the vocal folds start vibrating. A positive VOT means the voicing begins after the release—the order is release first, then vocal fold vibration. This pattern shows the stop is produced without voicing during the closure and a short lag before voicing starts, which is typical for voiceless stops. In contrast, if voicing started before or at release (negative or near-zero VOT), that would be characteristic of a voiced stop. For example, English voiceless stops like the initial p often have a noticeable lag before voicing begins, producing a positive VOT, whereas voiced stops like b typically begin voicing earlier, yielding a smaller or negative VOT.

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