ABSTRACT
I have uncovered a broad and informative range of new data about weakening through controlled investigations of consonant strength. This research has shown that we can productively examine relationships between duration, magnitude, sonority, and strength as well as locate phonetic correlates of weakening. The phonetic correlates of weakening found in American English and Mexican Spanish shed light on the true phonetic and phonological nature of weakening. Some phonetic characteristics pattern only by manner of articulation, while others pattern by position in word and position with respect to stress. I uncovered numerous phonetic factors, including a possible acoustic correlate of sonority, by which to differentiate manner of articulation. I have suggested that the characteristics that pattern strictly by manner are phonological in nature while those that pattern by position may assume either a phonetic or phonological role. Although consonants weaken by decreasing in duration, different manner classes call on particular additional phonetic characteristics.
