Phonological contrast and phonetic variation: The case of velars in Iwaidja (2020)

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Type of Content
Journal ArticlePublisher
Project MuseISSN
1535-0665Language
enCollections
Abstract
A field-based ultrasound and acoustic study of Iwaidja, an endangered Australian Aboriginal language, investigates the phonetic identity of nonnasal velar consonants in intervocalic position, where past work has proposed a [+continuant] vs. [−continuant] phonemic contrast. We analyze the putative contrast within a continuous phonetic space, defined by both acoustic and articulatory parameters, and find gradient variation: from more consonantal realizations, such as [ɰ], to more vocalic realizations, such as [a]. The distribution of realizations across lexical items and speakers does not support the proposed phonemic contrast. This case illustrates how lenition that is both phonetically gradient and variable across speakers and words can give the illusion of a contextually restricted phonemic contrast.
Citation
Shaw JA, Carignan C, Agostini TG, Mailhammer R, Harvey M, Derrick D (2020). Phonological contrast and phonetic variation: The case of velars in Iwaidja. Language. 96(3). 578-617.This citation is automatically generated and may be unreliable. Use as a guide only.
Keywords
Iwaidja; phonetic variation; lenition; ultrasound; manner; velar approximantsANZSRC Fields of Research
45 - Indigenous studies::4501 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, language and history::450108 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander linguistics and languages47 - Language, communication and culture::4704 - Linguistics::470409 - Linguistic structures (incl. phonology, morphology and syntax)
Rights
Jason A. Shaw, Christopher Carignan, Tonya G. Agostini, Robert Mailhammer, Mark Harvey, & Donald Derrick. © 2020. Authors paid to make this open access without embargoRelated items
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