On the domain of the quantal theory

Stevens’ quantal theory is examined from the point of view of accounting for the types of gestural structures that are employed phonologically in languages. It is argued that the domain of the theory is both wider and narrower than Stevens proposes. It is wider in that it could be extended to explain, not only what gestures languages may employ contrastively, but also how those gestures may be organized. It is narrower in that quantal considerations do not seem to actively constrain the precision of talkers in speech production.

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