Phonetic imitation and sound change : evidence from individuals with high-functioning autism

Abstract

Sound changes have long been an interest for historical linguists. Numerous studies have investigated the origin and the mechanism of the propagation of the phenomenon. Some recent studies suggested phonetic imitation, a process that converges the phonetic or acoustic features of interlocutors, as a contributor to the propagation of sound changes. Individuals with autism spectrum conditions were shown in some recent studies to be more prone to demonstrate stronger phonetic imitation and more sound variants. The current study investigated the differences between the phonetic imitation tendencies and occurrences of sound changes between ASD individuals and their neurotypical counterparts and the correlation between autism spectrum quotient, phonetic imitation and the likelihood of having sound changes. The ASD group showed significantly higher tendency in phonetic imitation and more phonetic variants. Yet, no significant association between AQ, phonetic imitation and sound changes was shown in the current study. Possible reasons for the lack of predicted associations between the factors may be the specificity of the phonetic imitation and the possible discrepancy between the manner of the change in VOT and the sound changes in Hong Kong Cantonese.