From the history of Russian phonetics: Theory and practice in acoustic and perceptual research of the Department of Phonetics, Leningrad University (1950–70s)

Abstract

The article dedicated to the memory of Ludmila Verbitskaya is concerned with the role of acoustic and perceptual research in the development of Lev Shcherba’s phonological theory. Of fundamental importance for this were the studies of the Laboratory of Experimental Phonetics of Leningrad University, conducted in the 1950–1970s, in which fundamental theoretical issues were inseparable from the problems of application. It is at this period that Verbitskaya’s early works were created, largely responsible for her reputation of an outstanding linguist. In 1965, she defended her Ph.D. dissertation Russian Speech Units vis-à-vis Аllophones and Phonemes (Lev Zinder, advisor), based on an extensive experimental study. Among other things, she challenged the dogma of the traditional phonological theory that speakers perceive only distinctive phonemic oppositions, by demonstrating the ability of the speakers of Russian to distinguish a greater variety of vowels than was normally supposed. It should be noted, however, that in Verbitskaya’s experiment, of all the allophones involved, the informants discerned only those responsible for providing the hardness-softness consonantal opposition. In this case, the informants not only perceived the differences, but were able to interpret them in accordance with the phonological system of the Russian language.