Are tense [æ]s really tense? The mapping between articulation and acoustics

This paper examines /æ/ tensing from both an acoustic and an articulatory perspective, investigating the extent to which acoustic tensing of the low front vowel is associated with a change in tongue position. Midpoint measurements of /æ/ variants in four phonological environments were compared to establish the tensing systems of four speakers from New Jersey, and ultrasound was used to track the tongue gestures underlying each allophone of /æ/. The findings presented here indicate that speakers from the same region may exhibit qualitatively different acoustic tensing systems, consistent with previous work; moreover, even those with the same acoustic system may vary in terms of how this system is articulated. We discuss the questions raised by this variation and its implications for our understanding of the actuation of language change.