At the lowest level of the TRACE model’s architecture lie the acoustic features associated with the phonemes that compose words in the lexicon. jTRACE considers seven feature dimensions (see ?phonemes): power (pow), vocalic (vow), diffusiveness (dif), acuteness (acu), consonantal (con), voicing (voi), and burst (bur). These are the original dimensions used by McClelland and Elman (1986) in their original implementation of TRACE. Prior to the simulation, the model is introduced to a set of familiar phonemes, mimicking its familiarity with a language. Each of these phonemes are coded by assigning them a 1-9 score in each of the feature dimensions. McClelland and Elman’s original phoneme set was later extended by Mayor and Plunkett (2014).

library(jtracer)
data("phonemes")
Encoding(phonemes[["ipa"]]) <- "Latin-1"
Encoding(phonemes[["trace"]]) <- "Latin-1"

head(phonemes)
#> # A tibble: 6 × 15
#>      id ipa   trace description     is_english is_spanish is_catalan type    pow
#>   <dbl> <chr> <chr> <chr>           <lgl>      <lgl>      <lgl>      <chr> <dbl>
#> 1     9 ɹ     r     voiced alveola… TRUE       FALSE      FALSE      Cons…     7
#> 2    23 x     x     voiceless vela… FALSE      TRUE       FALSE      Cons…     6
#> 3     5 k     k     voiceless vela… TRUE       TRUE       TRUE       Cons…     4
#> 4     6 g     g     voiced velar s… TRUE       TRUE       TRUE       Cons…     4
#> 5    33 ʁ     R     voiced uvular … FALSE      FALSE      TRUE       Cons…     6
#> 6    28 β     B     voiced bilabia… FALSE      TRUE       TRUE       Cons…     6
#> # … with 6 more variables: voc <dbl>, dif <dbl>, acu <dbl>, con <dbl>,
#> #   voi <dbl>, bur <dbl>

Non-English phonemes

Both versions were explicitly designed to fit the English phonology. We have coded new phonemes, not restricted to the English phonology, in the phonemes data frame included in this package. This way, it is possible to run simlation on a model that is familiar to phonologies different than the English one, such as Spanish and Catalan. The dataframe includes three logical variables indicating whether a given phoneme is present in English (is_english), Spanish (is_spanish), or Catalan (is_catalan), respectively.

English phoneme set

IPA symbol jTRACE symbol Acoustic features
POW VOC DIF ACU CON VOI BUR
Consonant
9 ɹ r voiced alveolar approximant 7 7 1 2 3 8 0
5 k k voiceless velar stop 4 1 2 3 8 1 4
6 g g voiced velar stop 4 1 2 3 8 7 3
22 ŋ N voiced velar nasal 7 6 2 3 4 8 0
10 l l voiced alveolar lateral approximant 7 7 2 4 3 9 0
21 h h voiceless glottal fricative 6 4 4 1 5 1 0
8 ʃ S voiceless post-alveolar fricative 6 4 6 4 5 1 0
19 ʒ M voiced post-alveolar fricative 6 4 6 4 5 8 0
1 p p voiceless bilabial stop 4 1 7 2 8 1 8
2 b b voiced bilabial stop 4 1 7 2 8 7 7
3 t t voiceless alveolar stop 4 1 7 7 8 1 6
12 f f voiceless labiodental fricative 6 4 7 3 5 1 0
18 v v voiced labiodental fricative 6 4 7 3 5 8 0
13 θ T voiceless dental fricative 6 4 7 4 5 1 0
16 ð Z voiced dental fricative 6 4 7 4 5 8 0
17 z z voiced alveolar fricative 6 4 7 8 5 8 0
15 m m voiced bilabial nasal 7 6 7 2 4 8 0
14 n n voiced alveolar nasal 7 6 7 7 4 8 0
11 w w voiced labialised (velar) approximant 7 7 7 2 2 8 0
20 j j voiced palatal approximant 7 7 8 8 2 8 0
62 dz d voiced alveolar affricate 6 7 3 8 6 7 8
63 T voiceless alveolar affricate 6 7 3 8 6 7 1

Spanish phoneme set

IPA symbol jTRACE symbol Acoustic features
POW VOC DIF ACU CON VOI BUR
Consonant
23 x x voiceless velar fricative 6 4 3 1 5 1 0
5 k k voiceless velar stop 4 1 2 3 8 1 4
6 g g voiced velar stop 4 1 2 3 8 7 3
28 β B voiced bilabial fricative 6 4 7 2 5 8 0
10 l l voiced alveolar lateral approximant 7 7 2 4 3 9 0
8 ʃ S voiceless post-alveolar fricative 6 4 6 4 5 1 0
1 p p voiceless bilabial stop 4 1 7 2 8 1 8
2 b b voiced bilabial stop 4 1 7 2 8 7 7
3 t t voiceless alveolar stop 4 1 7 7 8 1 6
27 ɲ 6 voiced palatal nasal 7 6 3 3 4 8 0
25 ɾ 4 voiced alveolar tap 7 7 1 3 3 8 0
30 ʝ J voiced palatal fricative 6 4 5 4 5 8 0
4 d d voiced alveolar stop 4 1 7 7 8 7 5
12 f f voiceless labiodental fricative 6 4 7 3 5 1 0
13 θ T voiceless dental fricative 6 4 7 4 5 1 0
26 r 5 voiced alveolar trill 7 7 1 4 3 8 0
16 ð Z voiced dental fricative 6 4 7 4 5 8 0
24 ʎ y voiceless palatal lateral approximant 7 7 3 4 3 1 0
7 s s voiceless alveolar fricative 6 4 7 8 5 1 0
15 m m voiced bilabial nasal 7 6 7 2 4 8 0
14 n n voiced alveolar nasal 7 6 7 7 4 8 0
63 T voiceless alveolar affricate 6 7 3 8 6 7 1
Vowel
34 a a low front unrounded 8 8 2 1 1 8 0
44 ɛ D low-mid front unrounded 8 8 4 6 1 8 0
46 o o high-mid back rounded 8 8 7 2 1 8 0
36 u u high back rounded 8 8 6 2 1 8 0
43 e E high-mid front unrounded 8 8 7 7 1 8 0
35 i i high front unrounded 8 8 8 8 1 8 0

Catalan phoneme set

IPA symbol jTRACE symbol Acoustic features
POW VOC DIF ACU CON VOI BUR
Consonant
5 k k voiceless velar stop 4 1 2 3 8 1 4
6 g g voiced velar stop 4 1 2 3 8 7 3
33 ʁ R voiced uvular fricative 6 4 5 2 5 8 0
28 β B voiced bilabial fricative 6 4 7 2 5 8 0
22 ŋ N voiced velar nasal 7 6 2 3 4 8 0
8 ʃ S voiceless post-alveolar fricative 6 4 6 4 5 1 0
19 ʒ M voiced post-alveolar fricative 6 4 6 4 5 8 0
1 p p voiceless bilabial stop 4 1 7 2 8 1 8
2 b b voiced bilabial stop 4 1 7 2 8 7 7
3 t t voiceless alveolar stop 4 1 7 7 8 1 6
27 ɲ 6 voiced palatal nasal 7 6 3 3 4 8 0
25 ɾ 4 voiced alveolar tap 7 7 1 3 3 8 0
4 d d voiced alveolar stop 4 1 7 7 8 7 5
12 f f voiceless labiodental fricative 6 4 7 3 5 1 0
18 v v voiced labiodental fricative 6 4 7 3 5 8 0
26 r 5 voiced alveolar trill 7 7 1 4 3 8 0
16 ð Z voiced dental fricative 6 4 7 4 5 8 0
24 ʎ y voiceless palatal lateral approximant 7 7 3 4 3 1 0
7 s s voiceless alveolar fricative 6 4 7 8 5 1 0
17 z z voiced alveolar fricative 6 4 7 8 5 8 0
15 m m voiced bilabial nasal 7 6 7 2 4 8 0
14 n n voiced alveolar nasal 7 6 7 7 4 8 0
11 w w voiced labialised (velar) approximant 7 7 7 2 2 8 0
20 j j voiced palatal approximant 7 7 8 8 2 8 0
61 ts T voiceless alveolar affricate 6 7 3 8 6 7 1
62 dz d voiced alveolar affricate 6 7 3 8 6 7 8
63 T voiceless alveolar affricate 6 7 3 8 6 7 1
64 H voiced alveolar affricate 6 7 3 8 6 7 8
Vowel
34 a a low front unrounded 8 8 2 1 1 8 0
40 ə @ mid central na 7 8 4 1 1 8 0
45 ɔ L low-mid back rounded 8 8 4 2 1 8 0
44 ɛ D low-mid front unrounded 8 8 4 6 1 8 0
37 ʌ ^ low-mid back unrounded 7 8 5 1 1 8 0
46 o o high-mid back rounded 8 8 7 2 1 8 0
36 u u high back rounded 8 8 6 2 1 8 0
43 e E high-mid front unrounded 8 8 7 7 1 8 0
35 i i high front unrounded 8 8 8 8 1 8 0

Creating a jTRACE-compatible language from the phonemes dataset

Imagine we wanted to run some simulations on a model that is familiar to the Spanish phonology. We could do so by shortlisting those phonemes present in Spanish (is_spanish is TRUE) and then following the steps in the Creating a language vignette. Please note that allophonic relations and duration scalars cannot be yet modified.

spanish_phonemes <- phonemes %>% 
  filter(is_spanish) %>% 
  select(trace, pow:bur)

jtrace_create_language(
  language_name = "spanish",
  features = spanish_phonemes
)  

Now we are ready to launch jTRACE running jtrace_launch() and loading the languages/spanish.xml file in the Phonemes tab.

How are the seven feature dimensions related to each other?

Appendix

This is the complete list of implemented phonemes:

phonemes %>% 
  rename_at(vars(pow:bur), toupper) %>%
  rename_at(vars(starts_with("is_")), ~gsub("is_", "", .)) %>% 
  gt(rowname_col = "id", groupname_col = "type") %>% 
  tab_spanner(md("**Acoustic features**"), columns = 6:12) %>% 
  cols_label(
    ipa = md("**IPA**"),
    trace = md("**jTRACE**"),
    description = ""
  ) %>% 
  data_color(
    columns = 6:12,
    colors = scales::col_numeric(
      palette = c(
        "white", "orange"), 
      domain = c(0, 9)
    )
  )
IPA jTRACE english Acoustic features CON VOI BUR
spanish catalan POW VOC DIF ACU
Consonant
9 ɹ r voiced alveolar approximant TRUE FALSE FALSE 7 7 1 2 3 8 0
23 x x voiceless velar fricative FALSE TRUE FALSE 6 4 3 1 5 1 0
5 k k voiceless velar stop TRUE TRUE TRUE 4 1 2 3 8 1 4
6 g g voiced velar stop TRUE TRUE TRUE 4 1 2 3 8 7 3
33 ʁ R voiced uvular fricative FALSE FALSE TRUE 6 4 5 2 5 8 0
28 β B voiced bilabial fricative FALSE TRUE TRUE 6 4 7 2 5 8 0
31 ɱ F voiced labiodental nasal FALSE FALSE FALSE 7 6 6 2 4 8 0
22 ŋ N voiced velar nasal TRUE FALSE TRUE 7 6 2 3 4 8 0
10 l l voiced alveolar lateral approximant TRUE TRUE FALSE 7 7 2 4 3 9 0
21 h h voiceless glottal fricative TRUE FALSE FALSE 6 4 4 1 5 1 0
8 ʃ S voiceless post-alveolar fricative TRUE TRUE TRUE 6 4 6 4 5 1 0
19 ʒ M voiced post-alveolar fricative TRUE FALSE TRUE 6 4 6 4 5 8 0
1 p p voiceless bilabial stop TRUE TRUE TRUE 4 1 7 2 8 1 8
2 b b voiced bilabial stop TRUE TRUE TRUE 4 1 7 2 8 7 7
3 t t voiceless alveolar stop TRUE TRUE TRUE 4 1 7 7 8 1 6
27 ɲ 6 voiced palatal nasal FALSE TRUE TRUE 7 6 3 3 4 8 0
25 ɾ 4 voiced alveolar tap FALSE TRUE TRUE 7 7 1 3 3 8 0
30 ʝ J voiced palatal fricative FALSE TRUE FALSE 6 4 5 4 5 8 0
4 d d voiced alveolar stop FALSE TRUE TRUE 4 1 7 7 8 7 5
12 f f voiceless labiodental fricative TRUE TRUE TRUE 6 4 7 3 5 1 0
18 v v voiced labiodental fricative TRUE FALSE TRUE 6 4 7 3 5 8 0
13 θ T voiceless dental fricative TRUE TRUE FALSE 6 4 7 4 5 1 0
26 r 5 voiced alveolar trill FALSE TRUE TRUE 7 7 1 4 3 8 0
16 ð Z voiced dental fricative TRUE TRUE TRUE 6 4 7 4 5 8 0
24 ʎ y voiceless palatal lateral approximant FALSE TRUE TRUE 7 7 3 4 3 1 0
7 s s voiceless alveolar fricative FALSE TRUE TRUE 6 4 7 8 5 1 0
17 z z voiced alveolar fricative TRUE FALSE TRUE 6 4 7 8 5 8 0
15 m m voiced bilabial nasal TRUE TRUE TRUE 7 6 7 2 4 8 0
29 ɰ W voiced velar approximant FALSE FALSE FALSE 7 7 8 7 2 8 0
14 n n voiced alveolar nasal TRUE TRUE TRUE 7 6 7 7 4 8 0
11 w w voiced labialised (velar) approximant TRUE FALSE TRUE 7 7 7 2 2 8 0
32 ʑ 7 voiced alveolo-palatal fricative FALSE FALSE FALSE 6 4 8 8 5 8 0
20 j j voiced palatal approximant TRUE FALSE TRUE 7 7 8 8 2 8 0
47 ʔ 9 voiceless glottal stop FALSE FALSE FALSE 4 1 5 1 8 1 8
61 ts T voiceless alveolar affricate FALSE FALSE TRUE 6 7 3 8 6 7 1
62 dz d voiced alveolar affricate TRUE FALSE TRUE 6 7 3 8 6 7 8
63 T voiceless alveolar affricate TRUE TRUE TRUE 6 7 3 8 6 7 1
64 H voiced alveolar affricate FALSE FALSE TRUE 6 7 3 8 6 7 8
65 ɟ B voiced palatal stop FALSE FALSE FALSE 4 4 1 8 8 8 7
66 q q voiceless uvular stop FALSE FALSE FALSE 4 4 1 2 8 8 1
67 ɸ B voiceless bilabial fricative FALSE FALSE FALSE 6 6 4 2 5 5 1
68 ç M voiceless palatal fricative FALSE FALSE FALSE 6 6 4 4 5 5 1
69 ʝ j voiced palatal fricative FALSE FALSE FALSE 6 6 4 4 5 5 8
70 ɣ G voiced velar fricative FALSE FALSE FALSE 6 6 4 3 5 5 8
71 ɰ G voiced velar approximant FALSE FALSE FALSE 7 7 7 3 2 2 8
72 ħ h voiceless pharyngeal fricative FALSE FALSE FALSE 6 6 4 4 5 5 1
73 ʕ / voiced pharyngeal fricative FALSE FALSE FALSE 6 6 4 4 5 5 8
74 h h voiceless glottal fricative FALSE FALSE FALSE 6 6 4 4 5 5 1
75 ɦ h voiced glottal fricative FALSE FALSE FALSE 6 6 4 4 5 5 8
76 ɱ m voiced labiodental nasal FALSE FALSE FALSE 7 7 6 3 4 4 8
77 ɫ l voiced dental lateral FALSE FALSE FALSE 7 7 7 2 3 3 8
78 ɹ r voiced alveolar approximant FALSE FALSE FALSE 7 7 7 8 2 2 8
79 ʀ R voiced uvular trill FALSE FALSE FALSE 7 7 7 2 3 3 9
80 ʋ v voiced labiodental approximant FALSE FALSE FALSE 7 7 7 3 2 2 8
81 ɥ w voiced palatal approximant FALSE FALSE FALSE 7 7 7 8 2 2 8
82 j j voiced palatal approximant FALSE FALSE FALSE 7 7 7 8 2 2 8
Vowel
34 a a low front unrounded FALSE TRUE TRUE 8 8 2 1 1 8 0
39 ɒ Q low back rounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 7 8 2 2 1 8 0
42 ɑ: A low front unrounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 8 8 2 2 1 8 0
40 ə @ mid central na FALSE FALSE TRUE 7 8 4 1 1 8 0
45 ɔ L low-mid back rounded FALSE FALSE TRUE 8 8 4 2 1 8 0
44 ɛ D low-mid front unrounded FALSE TRUE TRUE 8 8 4 6 1 8 0
37 ʌ ^ low-mid back unrounded FALSE FALSE TRUE 7 8 5 1 1 8 0
46 o o high-mid back rounded FALSE TRUE TRUE 8 8 7 2 1 8 0
36 u u high back rounded FALSE TRUE TRUE 8 8 6 2 1 8 0
38 ʊ U near-high back rounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 8 8 7 3 1 8 0
41 ɪ I near-high front unrounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 8 8 7 6 1 8 0
43 e E high-mid front unrounded FALSE TRUE TRUE 8 8 7 7 1 8 0
35 i i high front unrounded FALSE TRUE TRUE 8 8 8 8 1 8 0
48 æ { near-low front unrounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 8 8 5 2 1 8 0
49 y y high front rounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 8 8 7 6 1 8 0
50 ʏ Y near-high front rounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 8 8 7 6 1 8 0
51 ø 2 high-mid front rounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 8 8 7 2 1 8 0
52 œ / low-mid front rounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 8 8 5 5 1 8 0
53 ɨ 1 high central unrounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 8 8 7 5 1 8 0
54 ɐ & near-low central unrounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 8 8 4 2 1 8 0
55 ɜ 3 low-mid central unrounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 8 8 4 6 1 8 0
56 ʉ } high central rounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 8 8 7 2 1 8 0
57 ɵ 8 high-mid central rounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 8 8 5 2 1 8 0
58 ɶ & low front rounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 8 8 5 2 1 8 0
59 ɯ M high back unrounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 8 8 7 3 1 8 0
60 ɤ [ high-mid back unrounded FALSE FALSE FALSE 8 8 6 4 1 8 0