Russian palatalization is a matter of the tongue body

Abstract

It has long been suggested that the Russian palatalization contrast is primarily one of pharyngeal cavity expansion (and more recently, ATR). Based on an ultrasound study, an analysis of consonant-vowel interactions in the phonology, and the typology of ATR systems, we argue that the contrast is one of the tongue body, and that non-palatalized (velarized) consonants are [+high, +back]. We find no evidence for an active pharyngeal component to the contrast. Our ultrasound study examines consonants in the context of high vowels, something that has very rarely been done.