Voice Onset Time of Word-Initial Stops and Affricates in Khalkha Mongolian

Abstract

Khalkha Mongolian has two types of obstruents, which are transliterated as 〈b, d, g, dz, ǰ〉 and 〈p, t, k, ts, č〉, respectively; however, it is not clear whether the feature distinguishing them is voicing or aspiration. This production study examines the distribution of the VOT values between the two series of word-initial obstruents in Khalkha Mongolian. The data show that VOTs of 〈b, d, g, dz, ǰ〉 generally show positive values and that there is no phonetic ground to view /g/ and /ɢ/ as voiced consonants, although they are phonologically regarded as voiced.