Características acústicas de laterais em posição intervocálica em produções de falantes curitibanos

This study examines lateral sounds in intervocalic position in Brazilian Portuguese (BP). It were examined laterals in words like ['vɛ.lɐ] ‘candle’ and ['vɛ.ʎɐ] ‘old lady’ and words formed after the interaction with morphology obtaining [vɛ.'li.ɲɐ] ‘little candle’ and [vɛ.'ʎi.ɲɐ] ‘little old lady’. The results point out to the presence of two major groups: the first one, with average values of F2-F1 around 650 Hz having characteristics of duration and transitions consistent with descriptions of alveolar lateral found in literature; and the second one, with average values of F2-F1 ranging from 1300 Hz up to 1600 Hz, which were interpreted as laterals of an increasing degree of palatalization. It was observed that the interaction with morphology seems to lead to a weakness of the distinction between the lateral sounds in BP.