Abstract
Though a palatalized vs. velarized (slender vs. broad) contrast is fundamental to Goidelic languages of the Celtic family, contrasts involving either palatalization or velarization are typologically uncommon. Across languages, such contrasts are often dispreferred in onset compared to coda position, and in labial compared to coronal consonants. Previous phonetic research on both Russian and Irish has suggested that these asymmetries in contrast loss might be explained by, or at least correlated with, asymmetries in articulatory reduction and timing. We explore the timing of palatalization and velarization gestures in Irish stop consonants, and find differences between onset vs. coda position consistent with this general claim. However, we also find that gestural timing is structured in ways that allow for perceptual cues to the contrast to be recoverable, including in ways that might facilitate perception of the contrast in codas and (possibly) in labial consonants. Put simply, gestural timing in Irish may be optimized to support vulnerable contrasts.