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Contrast and Phonological Activity in Manchu Vowel Systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2016

B. Elan Dresher  and
Xi Zhang
B. Elan Dresher
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
Xi Zhang
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
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Abstract

In the Manchu languages, contrast plays an important role in the patterning of vowel systems. Contrastive feature values are phonologically active, triggering rules of Advanced Tongue Root (ATR) and labial harmony, whereas redundant feature values are phonologically inert. To determine which feature values are contrastive in any given segment, it is necessary to establish an ordering of features. This ordering, or contrastive hierarchy, determines the relative contrastive scope of each feature. Our analysis of the Written Manchu contrastive hierarchy is supported by synchronic and diachronic evidence from Spoken Manchu and Xibe, where a realignment of vowel contrasts results in new patterns of phonological activity. We show that our analysis is consistent with the observed typology of ATR and labial harmony systems. We argue that the concept of phonological contrast does not reduce to a phonetic function, nor is it perceptually based. The relationship between contrast and underspecification is considered, and it is shown that constraint-based theories (such as Optimality Theory) do not constitute alternatives to the theory of contrast proposed here.

Résumé

Résumé

Dans les langues mandchoues, le contraste joue un rôle important dans l’organisation des systèmes vocaliques. Alors que les valeurs des traits contrastifs sont phonologiquement actives et déclenchent des règles d’harmonie de racine de langue avancée (advanced tongue root, ATR) et d’harmonie labiale, les valeurs des traits redondants sont phonologiquement inactives. Afin de déterminer quelles valeurs de traits sont contrastives pour un segment donné, il est nécessaire d’établir une ordonnance de traits. Cette ordonnance, ou hiérarchie contrastive, détermine la portée relative de chaque trait. Notre analyse de la hiérarchie contrastive dans le mandchou écrit est soutenue par des données synchroniques et diachroniques du mandchou parlé et du xibe, où le réalignement des contrastes vocaliques donne lieu à un nouveau modèle d’activité phonologique. Nous démontrons que notre analyse est compatible avec la typologie observée des systèmes d’harmonie ATR et labiale. Nous argumentons que le concept de contraste phonologique ne se réduit pas à une fonction phonétique, ni est-il perceptuellement fondé. La relation entre le contraste et la sous-spécification est considérée, et il est démontré que les théories basées sur des contraintes (telles que la Théorie de l’Optimalité) ne constituent pas des alternatives à la théorie de contraste ici proposée.

Type
Part I: Knowledge of Language
Information
Canadian Journal of Linguistics/Revue canadienne de linguistique , Volume 50 , Issue 1-4: Language know-how: Canadian Perspectives in Contemporary Linguistics/Le savoir-faire langagier: perspectives canadiennes en linguistique contemporaine , December 2005 , pp. 45 - 82
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Linguistic Association 2005

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