Articulatory Indicators of Syllable Affiliation in Word Initial Consonant Clusters in Italian

In a study using electromagnetic midsagittal articulography (EMMA) with two speakers, we provide evidence that Italian word initial consonant clusters generally form complex onsets, but that those clusters beginning with a sibilant are exceptions. We thus contribute further motivation for treating clusters with ‘impure-s’ in Italian as heterosyllabic.