Re: A few phonetics-related q's

On Sep 13, 2004, at 2:12 PM, Trebor Jung wrote:

> In a word like /anta/, would it be more likely that it's pronounced
> [anda]
> or [an_0ta]?
Of those two choices, [anda].

> If a language has a rule (a) /s/ is [S] before /i/ and (b) /s/ is [z]
> intervocalically, would it be more likely that a word like /asi/ be
> pronounced [azi] or [aZi] or even [aSi]?
Are other fricatives voiced between vowels? If so, I expect [aZi]. If
not, I'd probably still expect [aZi].

> French nasal vowels can differ from their oral counterparts, cf. [i] ~
> [e~].
> Is there an articulatory/acoustic precedence for this? What are some
> oral-nasal correspondances for /i/, /e/, /A/, etc.?
Had to look this one up. Nasalization of vowels reduces the amplitude
of the first formant (F1) and displaces it upwards. The frequency of F1
correlates with vowel height; the lower F1, the higher the vowel. So
raising F1 via nasalization can lower the vowel.

> How could vowel harmony (any type) develop in a language? Also, does
> anyone
> have examples of e.g. vowel harmony in Niger-Congo (or
> Niger-Cordofanian?
> etc.) languages? I've read Akan has this, but know nothing about it...
If a particular vocalic gesture (say, lip rounding) is preserved
through a following consonant, the next vowel will likely show residual
effects of this gesture as well. This is vowel harmony. African
languages are often characterized by tongue root harmony. Vowels can be
produced with the root of the tongue advanced or retracted [1]; if this
gesture is preserved through intervening consonants, the result is
tongue root harmony.

John Cowan has pointed out on several occasions that there seem to be
no genuine examples of vowel harmony as automatic, exceptionless
processes in any language; it always has the appearance of the
historical residue of some earlier productive process. Exceptions to
vowel harmony fall into three basic categories: 1) the domain of
harmony, or the stretch within which harmony is enforced: in some cases
harmony will span a whole word, in others only part of a word; 2) the
effects of harmony: in many vowel harmony languages there are "neutral"
vowels which do not show harmony alternations; and 3) lexical
exceptions: these typically involve loan words which are exempt from
harmony requirements.

[1] To feel tongue root advancement/retraction, try this. Find your
adam's apple and lightly press two fingers against your throat just
above it; you will be pushing on the tongue root. Now say the vowels
[i][I] several times in succession. You should feel the tongue root
harden and push against your fingers when you say [i] and relax when
you say [I]. This works best for native English speakers; I don't know
what the rest of you do, but I suspect that other Germanic languages
will show similar gestures.

Dirk
--
Dirk Elzinga
Dirk_Elzinga@byu.edu

"I believe that phonology is superior to music. It is more variable and
its pecuniary possibilities are far greater." - Erik Satie