A Cineradiographic Investigation of Velar Movement Variables in Two Normals

The purpose of this investigation was to study certain aspects of velar dynamics among normals. Two adult subjects, one male and one female, were filmed using high-speed (100 fps) lateral-view cineradiography. Small radiopaque cups were attached to the surface of the soft palate and other articulators for tracking purposes. Trajectories of the velar fleshpoint in the midsagittal plane were demonstrated. Measures of velar velocity, velar displacement, and duration of transitional movements were studied in relation to the effects of phonetic context and speaking rate variation and were compared to the activity of other articulators. Velar positioning also was studied during nasal consonant production in relation to the effects of vowel context.