Investigating Vowel Deletion: Methodological Approaches to Production-Based Evidence

Abstract

Vowel deletion is a widely attested phonetic and phonological phenomenon that has attracted considerable attention in production-based speech research. Despite the growing body of empirical research, a comprehensive synthesis of the methodological approaches used to investigate vowel deletion and their contributions to our understanding of the phenomenon remains limited. Such a synthesis is essential for evaluating the strengths and limitations of existing methodologies, identifying complementary approaches, and informing future production-based research. This review synthesizes research on vowel deletion from a production-based perspective. The review first outlines the conceptual distinction between vowel reduction, devoicing, and complete deletion before examining the principal experimental approaches employed in research. It discusses articulatory techniques alongside acoustic methodologies. The review further examines how these methodologies have contributed to distinguishing vowel reduction, devoicing, complete deletion, and underlying consonant clusters, while providing empirical evidence for theoretical accounts such as gestural overlap and Articulatory Phonology. By critically synthesizing findings from studies across several languages, this review demonstrates that articulatory and acoustic methodologies offer complementary perspectives on vowel deletion and that their integration provides the most comprehensive account of vowel realization in speech production.