Phonotactic probability refers to the frequency with which a phonological segment, such as /s/, and a sequence of phonological segments, such as /s^/, occur in a given position in a word (Jusczyk, Luce & Charles-Luce, 1994). The method used to estimate phonotactic probability in Jusczyk, Luce, and Charles-Luce (1994) and in many other studies investigating the influence of phonotactic probability on language processing (see below) has been made freely available to language researchers on this web site. The effort to make this method of calculating phonotactic probability available to the research community was supported in part by research grants R03 DC 04259 (Kansas University), and R01 DC 0265801 (University at Buffalo) from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health.

A detailed description of how to use the Phonotactic Probability Calculator (PPC), how to interpret the output, and a list of the computer readable transcription (and the IPA equivalents) required as input to the PPC can be found in the paper below. If you use the PPC to estimate phonotactic probability in a set of real English words or made-up nonwords, please be sure to cite this article:

Vitevitch, M.S. & Luce, P.A. (2004) A web-based interface to calculate phonotactic probability for words and nonwords in English. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, and Computers, 36, 481-487. [PDF version]

Computer-Readable transcription ("Klattese") equivalents to IPA

Furthermore, I would greatly appreciate receiving a reprint (electronic or hard copy) of any published work that uses the Phonotactic Probability Calculator. Reprints may be sent to:

Michael Vitevitch
Department of Psychology
1415 Jayhawk Blvd.
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS 66045

OR via e-mail: mvitevit@ku.edu

 
 

A small sample of the papers that have used this definition of phonotactic probability:

Jusczyk, P.W., P.A. Luce, and J. Charles-Luce (1994). Infants' sensitivity to phonotactic patterns in the native language. Journal of Memory and Language, 33, 630-645.

Luce, P.A. & Large, N. R. (2001). Phonotactics, density, and entropy in spoken word recognition. Language and Cognitive Processes, 16, 565-581.

Storkel, H.L. (2001). Learning new words: Phonotactic probability in language development. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 44, 1321-1337.

Storkel, H.L. & Rogers, M.A. (2000). The effect of probabilistic phonotactics on lexical acquisition. Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics, 14, 407-425.

Vitevitch, M.S. (in press). The influence of sublexical and lexical representations on the processing of spoken words in English. Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics.

Vitevitch, M.S. (2002). The influence of onset-density on spoken word recognition. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 28, 270-278.

Vitevitch, M.S. (2002). The influence of phonological similarity neighborhoods on speech production. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 28, 735-747.

Vitevitch, M.S., Armbrüster J., & Chu, S. (in press). Sub-lexical and lexical representations in speech production: Effects of phonotactic probability and onset-density. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition.

Vitevitch, M.S. and Luce, P.A. (1998). When words compete: Levels of processing in spoken word perception. Psychological Science, 9, 325-329.

Vitevitch, M.S. and Luce, P.A. (1999). Probabilistic phonotactics and spoken word recognition. Journal of Memory & Language, 40, 374-408

Vitevitch, M.S. & Luce, P.A. (2005). Increases in phonotactic probability facilitate spoken nonword repetition. Journal of Memory & Language, 52, 193-204.

Vitevitch, M.S., Luce, P.A., Charles-Luce, J., & Kemmerer, D. (1997). Phonotactics and syllable stress: Implications for the processing of spoken nonsense words. Language and Speech, 40, 47-62.

Vitevitch, M.S., Luce, P.A., Pisoni, D.B., & Auer, E.T. (1999). Phonotactics, neighborhood activation and lexical access for spoken words. Brain and Language, 68, 306-311.

Vitevitch, M.S., Pisoni, D.B., Kirk, K.I., Hay-McCutcheon, M., & Yount, S.L. (2002). Effects of phonotactic probabilities on the processing of spoken words and nonwords by postlingually deafened adults with cochlear implants. Volta Review, 102, 283-302.