Re: Phonology and Questions

Dan wrote:

>
>         bilabials        dentals        velars        uvulars        glottal
> stop     p, p'            t, t'             k, k'          q, q'
> '
> fric       f, f'              s, s'            x, x'           h, h'
> app      w                r, l, lh
> nas      m, mh           n, nh          ñ, ñh
>
> The apostrophe marks glottalisation, as in Quecha. lh represents the lateral
> fricative, as found in Nahuatl.

Is l a lateral approximant or a fricative?  You have l and lh written as if
they were variants of each other (same pattern as m, mh), so it isn't clear if
they are both fricatives, the voiced half of the pair is an approximant but
the
voiceless a frictive, or if they really aren't a pair at all.

>
> 2) Are there any natlangs with voiceless vowels? I can only think of
> Cheyenne.

It was debated back in the 50's and 60's whether Comanche had a contrast
between voiced and voiceless vowels.  I think most people today say the
voiceless vowels are derived.

I've heard it said that Japanese is developing distinct voiceless vowels, but
I've never seen the evidence for this.  They are clearly there when you hear a
native speaker talk, but they seem to be predictable.

>
> 3) What does "creaky voiced" mean?

It is also called "laryngealization" if that helps you any.  (Probably not.
:-)
)  It is when the vocal cords open and closer rapidly during the pronunciation
of the vowel.  If you slow it down enough, you can actually hear each
individual closing of the vocal cords.  Perhaps one of the phonologists out
there could give a better description.

Marcus