HUMAN SPEECH - A TINKERERS DELIGHT - RESPONSE

The most frequent criticism of the target article is the lack of clear separability of human speech data relative to neuroethological data. A rationalization for this difference was sought in the tinkered natur e of such new adaptations as human speech. Basic theoretical premises were defended, and new data were presented to support a claim that spe akers maintain a low-noise relationship between F2 transition onset an d offset frequencies for stops in pre-vocalic positions through articu latory choices. It remains a viable and testable hypothesis that the p henomenon described by the locus equation is a functional adaptation o f production mechanisms to processing preferences of the auditory syst em.