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Vowel devocalization in Northern East Cree

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 January 2016

Sarah Knee
Sarah Knee*
Affiliation:
Memorial University
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Abstract

Derived clusters in Northern East (NE) Cree are traditionally assumed to result from the deletion of an intervening vowel. I propose, rather, that they arise from vowel devocalization, a process involving gradient vowel shortening or weakening. First, I demonstrate the compelling similarity between the process leading to derived clusters in NE Cree and vowel devocalization in non-Algonquian languages. Second, I show that consonants in NE Cree derived clusters display phonetic lengthening, one of the phonetic correlates accompanying vowel devocalization. I suggest that the gestures of these lengthened consonants overlap the vowel to the point that it is not perceived

Résumé

Résumé

Traditionnellement, la formation des groupes consonantiques dérivés en cri du Nord-Est est analysée comme le résultat de la suppression d'une voyelle interconsonantale. Je propose une autre analyse : la formation de ces groupes est liée au dévoisement vocalique, un processus qui contient une réduction ou un affaiblissement vocalique non-catégorique. Je démontre d'abord les flagrantes similarités entre le processus conduisant aux groupes consonantiques dérivés en cri du Nord-Est et le dévoisement dans les langues non-algonquiennes. Deuxièmement, je démontre que les consonnes dans les groupes dérivés en cri du Nord-Est font l'objet d'un allongement phonétique, un des éléments accompagnant le dévoisement vocalique. Je propose que les propriétés de ces consonnes allongées masquent la voyelle a tel point qu'elle n'est plus percue.

Keywords

Northern East CreeAlgonquianGestural Modelvowel devocalizationphonologycri du nord-estlangues algonquiennesGestural Modeldévoisement vocaliquephonologie
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Linguistics/Revue canadienne de linguistique , Volume 59 , Issue 3 , November 2014 , pp. 303 - 338
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Linguistic Association. 2015

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