A Multidimensional Scaling Analysis of Phonemic Responses From Hard of Hearing and Deaf Subjects of Three Languages

Abstract

Twenty logatoms (CVCV) involving five vowels and 20 consonants were presented to 36 subjects, 18 hard of hearing and 18 deaf. Of the 18 subjects, six were speakers of English (American), six Serbo-Croatian (Yugoslavian), and six French (French), The logatoms were analysed for both initial and medial consonants. The responses were recorded on magnetic tape and transcribed phonetically by three judges. The data were analysed by IND-SCAL and reported in unique dimension. Twelve groups of similarity matrices mainly yielded two- and three- dimensional solutions. The interpretations of these dimensions were mainly voicing and sibilant. Additional features retrieved in some cases included nasality, fricative, and others. Recovery of similar space for three language groups, two deviancy groups, and two positions reveal "universal" dimensionality and features of the consonants.

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