Conference Presentations by Won Ho Kim
In this paper, we propose that in the Mazi dialect of Stau there is a system of regressive harmon... more In this paper, we propose that in the Mazi dialect of Stau there is a system of regressive harmony that exhibits itself in the following pairs i/ə, e/ɛ, o/u, and æ/ɑ. The regressive vowel harmony system allows for the following assimilatory changes, displayed in (1) and (2) below, where ‘C’ stands for any kind or number of consonants:
(1) Raising/Fronting:
əCi iCi, ɛCe eCe, oCu uCu, ɑCæ æCæ
(2) Lowering/Backing:
iCə əCə, eCɛ ɛCɛ, uCo oCo, æCɑ ɑCɑ
There are two natural classes that determine vowel harmony in Mazi Stau: [±front] (i~ə and æ~ɑ) or [±high] (e~ɛ and u~o). Even though the contrast in e~ɛ and u~o is not typically thought of as [±front], acoustic analysis reveals that ɛ and o have lower F2 and higher F1 than e and u, respectively, corresponding to the relative distance between æ~ɑ and i~ə (Vanderveen 2015). This vowel harmony system may be evidence for uvularization or velarization; but the use of instrumental phonetics (e.g., ultrasound) would be necessary before conclusions are made (e.g., Evans, Sun, Chiu, Liou 2015). A thorough analysis is given that accounts for all of the data predicting when vowel harmony should be expected to occur and when it is blocked. This is the first paper to focus entirely on a vowel harmony system in a Rgyalrongic language.
References
Evans, Jonathan P.; Sun, Jackson T.-S.; Chiu, Chenhao; Liou, Michelle. 2015.
Uvularization as a vowel feature. Journal of the International Phonetic Association.
Vanderveen, Chantel. 2015. A phonology of Stau. Langley: Trinity Western University MA thesis.
Drafts by Won Ho Kim
Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area, 2018
Please only cite the published version. If you want a copy please write to me.
In this paper, w... more Please only cite the published version. If you want a copy please write to me.
In this paper, we propose that in Stau (>Rgyalrongic >Sino-Tibetan) there is a system of four vowel pairs (i/ə, e/ɛ, æ/ɑ, u/o) that undergo regressive fronting-backing/height vowel harmony. Like prototypical examples of vowel harmony across the world’s languages, there is evidence for vowel harmony from two sources: “within morphemes and by alternations in vowels when morphemes are combined into complex words” (van der Hulst 2016). Specifically in Stau, the following combinations of VCV are disallowed: iCə, əCi, eCɛ, ɛCe, uCo, oCu, æCɑ, ɑCɑ.2 When combining morphemes to create complex words, the vowel of the first morpheme assimilates to the vowel of the second (e.g., æCɑ --> ɑCɑ), if the vowels of the two morphemes belong to the same vowel pair set (e.g., æ/ɑ). The regressive vowel harmony system allows for the following assimilatory changes, displayed in (1) and (2) below.
(1) Raising/Fronting:
əCi-->iCi, ɛCe-->eCe, oCu-->uCu, ɑCɑ-->æCæ
(2) Lowering/Backing:
iCə-->əCə, eCɛ-->ɛCɛ, uCo-->oCo, æCɑ-->ɑCɑ
There are, however, several systematic exceptions where vowel harmony does not occur.
This is the first full-length paper on vowel harmony in any Rgyalrongic language, and it is the first time vowel harmony has been systematically analyzed in Stau.
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Conference Presentations by Won Ho Kim
(1) Raising/Fronting:
əCi iCi, ɛCe eCe, oCu uCu, ɑCæ æCæ
(2) Lowering/Backing:
iCə əCə, eCɛ ɛCɛ, uCo oCo, æCɑ ɑCɑ
There are two natural classes that determine vowel harmony in Mazi Stau: [±front] (i~ə and æ~ɑ) or [±high] (e~ɛ and u~o). Even though the contrast in e~ɛ and u~o is not typically thought of as [±front], acoustic analysis reveals that ɛ and o have lower F2 and higher F1 than e and u, respectively, corresponding to the relative distance between æ~ɑ and i~ə (Vanderveen 2015). This vowel harmony system may be evidence for uvularization or velarization; but the use of instrumental phonetics (e.g., ultrasound) would be necessary before conclusions are made (e.g., Evans, Sun, Chiu, Liou 2015). A thorough analysis is given that accounts for all of the data predicting when vowel harmony should be expected to occur and when it is blocked. This is the first paper to focus entirely on a vowel harmony system in a Rgyalrongic language.
References
Evans, Jonathan P.; Sun, Jackson T.-S.; Chiu, Chenhao; Liou, Michelle. 2015.
Uvularization as a vowel feature. Journal of the International Phonetic Association.
Vanderveen, Chantel. 2015. A phonology of Stau. Langley: Trinity Western University MA thesis.
Drafts by Won Ho Kim
In this paper, we propose that in Stau (>Rgyalrongic >Sino-Tibetan) there is a system of four vowel pairs (i/ə, e/ɛ, æ/ɑ, u/o) that undergo regressive fronting-backing/height vowel harmony. Like prototypical examples of vowel harmony across the world’s languages, there is evidence for vowel harmony from two sources: “within morphemes and by alternations in vowels when morphemes are combined into complex words” (van der Hulst 2016). Specifically in Stau, the following combinations of VCV are disallowed: iCə, əCi, eCɛ, ɛCe, uCo, oCu, æCɑ, ɑCɑ.2 When combining morphemes to create complex words, the vowel of the first morpheme assimilates to the vowel of the second (e.g., æCɑ --> ɑCɑ), if the vowels of the two morphemes belong to the same vowel pair set (e.g., æ/ɑ). The regressive vowel harmony system allows for the following assimilatory changes, displayed in (1) and (2) below.
(1) Raising/Fronting:
əCi-->iCi, ɛCe-->eCe, oCu-->uCu, ɑCɑ-->æCæ
(2) Lowering/Backing:
iCə-->əCə, eCɛ-->ɛCɛ, uCo-->oCo, æCɑ-->ɑCɑ
There are, however, several systematic exceptions where vowel harmony does not occur.
This is the first full-length paper on vowel harmony in any Rgyalrongic language, and it is the first time vowel harmony has been systematically analyzed in Stau.
(1) Raising/Fronting:
əCi iCi, ɛCe eCe, oCu uCu, ɑCæ æCæ
(2) Lowering/Backing:
iCə əCə, eCɛ ɛCɛ, uCo oCo, æCɑ ɑCɑ
There are two natural classes that determine vowel harmony in Mazi Stau: [±front] (i~ə and æ~ɑ) or [±high] (e~ɛ and u~o). Even though the contrast in e~ɛ and u~o is not typically thought of as [±front], acoustic analysis reveals that ɛ and o have lower F2 and higher F1 than e and u, respectively, corresponding to the relative distance between æ~ɑ and i~ə (Vanderveen 2015). This vowel harmony system may be evidence for uvularization or velarization; but the use of instrumental phonetics (e.g., ultrasound) would be necessary before conclusions are made (e.g., Evans, Sun, Chiu, Liou 2015). A thorough analysis is given that accounts for all of the data predicting when vowel harmony should be expected to occur and when it is blocked. This is the first paper to focus entirely on a vowel harmony system in a Rgyalrongic language.
References
Evans, Jonathan P.; Sun, Jackson T.-S.; Chiu, Chenhao; Liou, Michelle. 2015.
Uvularization as a vowel feature. Journal of the International Phonetic Association.
Vanderveen, Chantel. 2015. A phonology of Stau. Langley: Trinity Western University MA thesis.
In this paper, we propose that in Stau (>Rgyalrongic >Sino-Tibetan) there is a system of four vowel pairs (i/ə, e/ɛ, æ/ɑ, u/o) that undergo regressive fronting-backing/height vowel harmony. Like prototypical examples of vowel harmony across the world’s languages, there is evidence for vowel harmony from two sources: “within morphemes and by alternations in vowels when morphemes are combined into complex words” (van der Hulst 2016). Specifically in Stau, the following combinations of VCV are disallowed: iCə, əCi, eCɛ, ɛCe, uCo, oCu, æCɑ, ɑCɑ.2 When combining morphemes to create complex words, the vowel of the first morpheme assimilates to the vowel of the second (e.g., æCɑ --> ɑCɑ), if the vowels of the two morphemes belong to the same vowel pair set (e.g., æ/ɑ). The regressive vowel harmony system allows for the following assimilatory changes, displayed in (1) and (2) below.
(1) Raising/Fronting:
əCi-->iCi, ɛCe-->eCe, oCu-->uCu, ɑCɑ-->æCæ
(2) Lowering/Backing:
iCə-->əCə, eCɛ-->ɛCɛ, uCo-->oCo, æCɑ-->ɑCɑ
There are, however, several systematic exceptions where vowel harmony does not occur.
This is the first full-length paper on vowel harmony in any Rgyalrongic language, and it is the first time vowel harmony has been systematically analyzed in Stau.