1,720,979 research outputs found
Kala Phonology in a Typological and Regional Context
Full text linkThe Kala language is a Western Oceanic (Austronesian) language spoken in Papua New Guinea. This dissertation provides a phonological sketch of all four dialects of Kala, as well as detailed quantitative acoustic phonetic and phonological studies performed on three dynamic processes found in Southern Kala. These include vowel deletion, vowel laxing, and nasality and nasalization of vowels. All of these processes show unusual and unpredicted characteristics that place them in liminal spaces between cross-linguistic categories. Finally, a wider context is provided through a phonological typology survey of 50 nearby languages, illuminating Kala phonology's unique position amongst its relatives and neighbors.Ph.D
Phonotactic complexity in interaction with other systems of language structure: some crosslinguistic patterns
No full textInternational audienceThis study investigates the relationship between the phonotactic patterns of word-initial biconsonantal sequences and morphological complexity. In a sample of 32 unrelated languages, the common claim that the phonotactic patterns of heteromorphemic and tautomorphemic consonant clusters are structurally different from one another is tested. Specifically, the manner of articulation patterns of heteromorphemic and tautomorphemic word-initial biconsonantal sequences are analyzed and compared.While some crosslinguistically frequent shapes are more likely to occur in heteromorphemic contexts, heteromorphemic patterns are in fact more restricted than tautomorphemic patterns in a number of other ways. They are less numerous and diverse, both within and across languages. Additionally, typologically rare and purportedly "dispreferred" word-initial consonant sequences are likely to occur in solely tautomorphemic contexts in the sample. Four general language types are identified according to interactions between the patterns of word-initial CC inventories and morphological complexity
Highly complex syllable structure: a typological study of its phonological characteristics and diachronic development
Full text linkThe syllable is a natural unit of organization in spoken language. Strong cross-linguistic tendencies in syllable size and shape are often explained in terms of a universal preference for the CV structure, a type which is also privileged in abstract models of the syllable. Syllable patterns such as those found in Itelmen qsaɬtxt͡ʃ ‘follow!’ and Tashlhiyt tsskʃftstt ‘you dried it (f)’ are both typologically rare and theoretically marginalized. This dissertation is an investigation of the properties of languages with highly complex syllable patterns. The aims are (i) to establish whether these languages share other linguistic features in common such that they constitute a distinct linguistic type, and (ii) to identify possible diachronic paths and natural mechanisms by which these patterns come about over time. These issues are investigated in a diversified sample of 100 languages, 24 of which have highly complex syllable patterns.
Languages with highly complex syllable structure are characterized by a number of phonological and morphological features which serve to set them apart from languages with simpler syllable patterns: these include specific segmental and suprasegmental properties, a higher prevalence of vowel reduction processes, higher rates of morphologically complex clusters, and higher average morpheme/word ratios. The results suggest that highly complex syllable structure is a linguistic type distinct from but sharing some characteristics of other proposed holistic language types. The results also point to word stress and specific patterns of gestural organization as playing important roles in the development of these patterns out of simpler syllable structures
A typological and diachronic study
Full text linkThe syllable is a natural unit of organization in spoken language whose strongest cross-linguistic patterns are often explained in terms of a universal preference for the CV structure. Syllable patterns involving long sequences of consonants are both typologically rare and theoretically marginalized, with few approaches treating these as natural or unproblematic structures. This book is an investigation of the properties of languages with highly complex syllable patterns. The two aims are (i) to establish whether these languages share other linguistic features in common such that they constitute a distinct linguistic type, and (ii) to identify possible diachronic paths and natural mechanisms by which these patterns come about in the history of a language. These issues are investigated in a diversified sample of 100 languages, 25 of which have highly complex syllable patterns
Phonotactic complexity in interaction with other systems of language structure: some crosslinguistic patterns
No full textInternational audienceThis study investigates the relationship between the phonotactic patterns of word-initial biconsonantal sequences and morphological complexity. In a sample of 32 unrelated languages, the common claim that the phonotactic patterns of heteromorphemic and tautomorphemic consonant clusters are structurally different from one another is tested. Specifically, the manner of articulation patterns of heteromorphemic and tautomorphemic word-initial biconsonantal sequences are analyzed and compared.While some crosslinguistically frequent shapes are more likely to occur in heteromorphemic contexts, heteromorphemic patterns are in fact more restricted than tautomorphemic patterns in a number of other ways. They are less numerous and diverse, both within and across languages. Additionally, typologically rare and purportedly "dispreferred" word-initial consonant sequences are likely to occur in solely tautomorphemic contexts in the sample. Four general language types are identified according to interactions between the patterns of word-initial CC inventories and morphological complexity
Highly complex syllable structure
Full text linkThe syllable is a natural unit of organization in spoken language whose strongest cross-linguistic patterns are often explained in terms of a universal preference for the CV structure. Syllable patterns involving long sequences of consonants are both typologically rare and theoretically marginalized, with few approaches treating these as natural or unproblematic structures. This book is an investigation of the properties of languages with highly complex syllable patterns. The two aims are (i) to establish whether these languages share other linguistic features in common such that they constitute a distinct linguistic type, and (ii) to identify possible diachronic paths and natural mechanisms by which these patterns come about in the history of a language. These issues are investigated in a diversified sample of 100 languages, 25 of which have highly complex syllable patterns
In search of the origin of complex phonotactic patterns in Spanish loanwords in Nasa Yuwe
No full textInternational audienc
In search of the origin of complex phonotactic patterns in Spanish loanwords in Nasa Yuwe
No full textInternational audienc
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