Chapter One Introduction
1.1 Research Background
1.2 Purpose of the Study
1.3 Theoretical Framework
1.4 Experimental Apparatus
1.5 Significance of the Study
1.6 Arrangement of the Dissertation
Chapter Two Mandarin Sound System
2.1 Sounds in Mandarin
2.1.1 Consonants
2.1.2 Glides
2.1.3 Vowels
2.1.4 Tones
2.2 An Overview of Mandarin Syllables
2.2.1 Normal Syllables
2.2.2 Reduced Syllables
2.2.3 Retroflexed Syllables
2.2.4 Reduced-Retroflexed Syllables
2 3 Svllable:The Basic Unit of Gestual Organization
2.3.1 A Basic Unit in Phonotactics
2.3.2 A Basic Unit in Phonological Process
2.3.3 A Basic Unit in Acoustics and Perception
2.3.4 The Basic Unit in Articulation
2.3.5 Summary
2.4 Previous Studies on the Timing Structure of Mandarin Syllables
2.4.1 Ren's Truncation Model
2.4.2 Xu and Liu's Model
2.4.3 Gao's Articulatory Study on Mandarin Syllable Structure
2.4.4 The Onset ofthe Retroflex Gesture
2.5 Summary
Chapter Three Methodology
3.1 Participants
3.2 Speech Material
3.3 Recording Procedure
3.4 Processing the Data
3.5 Summary
Chapter Four Intergestural Timing
4.1 Timing Relation between C and V Gestures
4.1.1 Gao's Articulation Research on the CV Lag in Mandarin
4.1.2 Speech Material
4.1.3 Results
……
Chapter Five Syllable Structure: An Integrated Model
Chapter Six Conclusion
Appendix A Raw Data of Onset Lags between Gestures
Appendix B Praat Scripts Composed for the Present Study
Appendix C The Script for Extracting Articulatory Data
References