Abstract: For the analysis of perceptional features of Chinese consonants, a method has been used for multidimensional scaling by means of optimizing the fitting to the confusion probabilities of consonants as observed in articulation tests. The dependence of minimum Stress as criterion for fitting on dimensions has been obtained. The Stress has been found to decrease with increase of the number of dimensions. On the basis of the values of Stress, we found that the dimensions of perceptional space featuring Chinese consonants should not be less than three. The typical three dimension configuration obtained can separate the voiced consonants from the unvoiced in the first dimension; the aspirated from the unaspirated in the second dimension ; while the third dimension serves to reflect the place of articulation. It follows that the voiced/unvoiced, aspirated/unaspirated and place of articulation are exceedingly important distinctive features of Chinese consonants.
21 Chinese consonants have been represented figuratively in multidimensional space of perception, with a view of facilitating further research on speech perception, and in the meantime providing the support of psychological and physical experiments for the classification of Chinese consonants.
In this paper, a method of multidimensional scaling were described briefly. A program for performing calculations on a programmable calculator and the questions of handling the blank records as well as setting the starting configurations were discussed. Some typical results of calculation were given.