Syllable Weight: Phonetics, Phonology, TypologyThe book is the first systematic exploration of a series of phonological phenomena previously thought to be unified under the rubric of syllable weight. Drawing on a typological survey of 400 languages, it is shown that the traditional conception that languages are internally consistent in their weight criteria across weight-based processes is not corroborated by the cross-linguistic survey. Rather than being consistent across phenomena within individual languages, weight turns out to be sensitive to the particular processes involved such that different phenomena display different distributions in weight criteria. The book goes on to explore the motivations behind the process-specific nature of weight, showing that phonetic factors explain much of the variation in weight criteria between phenomena and also the variation in criteria between languages for a single process. The book is unlike other studies in combining an extensive typological survey with detailed phonetic analysis of many languages. The finding that the widely studied phenomenon of syllable weight is not a unified phenomenon, contrary to the established view, is a significant result for the field of theoretical phonology. The book is also an important contribution to the field of phonetically-driven phonology, since it establishes a close link between the phonology of weight and various quantitative phonetic parameters. |
Contents
Chapter One Introduction | 1 |
Chapter Two The Typology of Weight | 11 |
Chapter Three WeightSensitive Tone | 85 |
Chapter Four WeightSensitive Stress | 121 |
Chapter Five Other WeightSensitive Phenomena | 199 |
Chapter Six Conclusions | 243 |
Appendix One | 247 |
Appendix Two | 263 |
Appendix Three | 295 |
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Common terms and phrases
accent allow appear assume basis Cantonese carry Chapter closed syllables coda consonants compared compensatory lengthening complex consider constraint continued contour tones contrast CVC heavy criterion CVV(C discussion display duration edited effectiveness energy evidence examined example fact falls Figure final Finnish followed Four given grammar greater Hausa heavier hierarchy included indicates Japanese Khalkha languages least light Linguistics long vowels measure metrics minimal word requirements Note observed obstruent occur onset open syllables phenomena phonetic phonological pitch accent positions present Press processes properties ranked reduced vowels reference relative relevant representations restrictions result rime segments sensitive short vowels simple sonorant specific stress systems structure suggest survey syllable template restrictions syllable types syllable weight syllables closed syllables containing Table tion tonal treat uniformity University values voiced vowel length weight criteria weight distinctions weight-sensitive weight-sensitive stress weight-sensitive tone
References to this book
The Role of Speech Perception in Phonology Elizabeth V. Hume,Keith Johnson No preview available - 2001 |