Segmental Phonology: Vowels

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura J. Downing ◽  
Al Mtenje
Keyword(s):  
Vowel Harmony ◽  
Bantu Languages ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Segmental Phonology ◽  
Vowel Phoneme ◽  
Vowel Height

This chapter begins with a discussion of the Chichewa vowel phoneme inventory and its relation to the Proto-Bantu vowel inventory. The distribution of vowels in different morphological and phonological positions in the word is taken up next. The remainder of the chapter is devoted to a discussion of Bantu vowel height harmony (VHH), a process that conditions the possible vowel combinations in stems in Chichewa as in many Bantu languages. Data from a range of morphological and phonological contexts is provided to show that vowel harmony patterns in Chichewa fit Hyman’s (1999b) characterization of “canonical” Bantu VHH. Accounting for vowel harmony—and in particular Bantu VHH—has played an important role in the development of phonological theories of the representation and assimilation of vocalic properties from the 1980s to the present (Hyman 2003d). For this reason, the chapter takes up three different theoretical approaches to Bantu VHH in some detail.

scholarly journals Positional prominence and the ‘prosodic trough’ in Yaka

Phonology ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry M. Hyman
Keyword(s):  
General Analysis ◽  
Vowel Harmony ◽  
General Nature ◽  
Comprehensive Treatment ◽  
Bantu Languages ◽  
Bantu Language ◽  
Partial Analysis ◽  
Vowel Height

The issue of vowel height harmony – relatively rare in the world's languages – is one that most serious theories of phonology have addressed at one time or another, particularly as concerns its realisation in Bantu (e.g. Clements 1991, Archangeli & Pulleyblank 1994, Beckman 1997). As is quite well known, the majority of an estimated 500 Bantu languages exhibit some variant of a progressive harmony process by which vowels lower when preceded by an appropriate (lower) trigger. (Ki)-Yaka, a Western Bantu language spoken in ex-Zaire, designated as H.31 by Guthrie (1967–71), has a height harmony system which has been analysed as having a similar left-to-right lowering process. In this paper I argue against the general analysis given for Yaka, showing that this language differs in a major way from the rest of Bantu. The goals of the paper are threefold. First, I present a comprehensive treatment of the unusual vowel harmony system in (ki-)Yaka. Second, I introduce the notion of the ‘prosodic trough’ (τ), a domain which is needed in order to state important phonological generalisations in Yaka and in Bantu in general. Finally, I show the relevance of the Yaka facts for the study of positional prominence in phonology. A (partial) analysis is offered within optimality- theoretic terms, particularly as developed by McCarthy & Prince (1995). Although superficially resembling the vowel height harmony found in most Bantu languages, the Yaka system will be shown to differ from these latter in major ways. The paper is organised as follows. In §2 I establish the general nature of the Yaka harmony system, reanalysing previous accounts in terms of ‘plateauing’. In §3 I turn to the process of ‘imbrication’, which introduces a second motivation for vowel harmony: the avoidance of the sequence [wi]. A third source of vowel harmony is presented in §4, which also introduces the notion of the ‘prosodic trough’. The study ends with a brief conclusion in §5 and an appendix that discusses outstanding problems.

The Phonology of Chichewa

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura J. Downing ◽  
Al Mtenje
Keyword(s):  
Full Range ◽  
Vowel Harmony ◽  
High Tone ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Phonological Processes ◽  
Bantu Languages ◽  
Prosodic Morphology ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Place Assimilation ◽  
Core Issues

Bantu languages have played and continue to play an important role as a source of data illustrating core phonological processes—vowel harmony, nasal place assimilation, postnasal laryngeal alternations, tonal phenomena such as high tone spread and the OCP, prosodic morphology, and the phonology–syntax interface. Chichewa, in particular, has been a key language in the development of theoretical approaches to these phonological phenomena. This book provides thorough descriptive coverage, presented in a clear, atheoretical manner, of the full range of phonological phenomena of Chichewa. Less well-studied topics—such as positional asymmetries in the distribution of segments, the phonetics of tone, and intonation—are also included. The book surveys, where relevant, important recent theoretical approaches to phonological problems—such as vowel harmony, the phonology–syntax interface, focus prosody, and reduplication—where Chichewa data is routinely referred to in the theoretical literature. The book will therefore serve as a resource for phonologists—at all levels and working in different theoretical frameworks—who are interested in the processes discussed. Because many of the phonological processes in Chichewa are conditioned by particular morphological or syntactic contexts, the book should also be of interest to linguists working on the interfaces. As there are almost no other monographs on the phonology of Bantu languages available, this book serves as an excellent introduction to core issues in the phonology of Bantu languages.

Structural Characterization of a New Collagen Biomimetic Octapeptide with Nanoscale Self‐assembly Potential: Experimental and Theoretical Approaches

ChemPlusChem ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cosmin Stefan Mocanu ◽  
Brindusa Alina Petre ◽  
Laura Darie Ion ◽  
Gabi Drochioiu ◽  
Marius Niculaua ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structural Characterization ◽  
Self Assembly ◽  
Theoretical Approaches

Khalkha Mongolian

2020 ◽  
pp. 334-349
Author(s):  
Jan-Olof Svantesson
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Central Place ◽  
Vowel Harmony ◽  
Inflectional Morphology ◽  
Writing System ◽  
Syntactic Structures ◽  
Word Structure ◽  
Case Marking ◽  
Verb Forms ◽  
Segmental Phonology

This chapter gives an introduction to the basic structures of Khalkha Mongolian, most of which are similar to those of Mongolian proper in general. Segmental phonology (vowels and consonants) and word structure are analyzed. Major changes from earlier stages of the language are described briefly, as is the writing system, based on the Cyrillic alphabet. Vowel harmony, based on pharyngeality (ATR) and rounding, has several interesting properties, including the opacity of high rounded vowels to rounding harmony. There is a rich derivational and inflectional morphology based on suffixes. Basic syntactic structures, including word order and case marking of arguments in simple and complex clauses, are described, as are the functions of different verb forms (finite verbs, converbs, and participles). The description emphasizes the central place of Mongolian proper in the typology of the Transeurasian languages.

scholarly journals The missing pieces of the PuO2 nanoparticle puzzle

Nanoscale ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (35) ◽  
pp. 18039-18048 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evgeny Gerber ◽  
Anna Yu. Romanchuk ◽  
Ivan Pidchenko ◽  
Lucia Amidani ◽  
Andre Rossberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electronic Structure ◽  
Atomic Level ◽  
Full Characterization ◽  
Theoretical Approaches

We report a full characterization of PuO2 nanoparticles at the atomic level and probe their local and electronic structure by a variety of methods available at the synchrotron and theoretical approaches.

scholarly journals Characterization of the Mechanical Properties of FFF Structures and Materials: A Review on the Experimental, Computational and Theoretical Approaches

Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 895 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrique Cuan-Urquizo ◽  
Eduardo Barocio ◽  
Viridiana Tejada-Ortigoza ◽  
R. Pipes ◽  
Ciro Rodriguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Predictive Models ◽  
Computational Models ◽  
Structural Performance ◽  
Experimental Characterization ◽  
Fused Filament Fabrication ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Analytical Approximations ◽  
Printed Materials

The increase in accessibility of fused filament fabrication (FFF) machines has inspired the scientific community to work towards the understanding of the structural performance of components fabricated with this technology. Numerous attempts to characterize and to estimate the mechanical properties of structures fabricated with FFF have been reported in the literature. Experimental characterization of printed components has been reported extensively. However, few attempts have been made to predict properties of printed structures with computational models, and a lot less work with analytical approximations. As a result, a thorough review of reported experimental characterization and predictive models is presented with the aim of summarizing applicability and limitations of those approaches. Finally, recommendations on practices for characterizing printed materials are given and areas that deserve further research are proposed.

Vowel height harmony and blocking in Buchan Scots

Phonology ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 359-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Paster
Keyword(s):  
Vowel Harmony ◽  
Sound Pattern ◽  
North East ◽  
Vowel Height

The Buchan Scots dialect of north-east Scotland exhibits a unique phonological phenomenon: vowel harmony is blocked by intervening consonants that have no secondary articulation or other obvious characteristic that should make them opaque to harmony. In this paper, I describe the harmony and blocking pattern based on new data from speakers of the modern dialect. After establishing this as a phonological rather than phonetic effect, I propose a synchronic analysis of the pattern and a phonetic explanation for the origin of this unusual sound pattern.

scholarly journals Vowel Height Assimilation in Bantu Languages

1991 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 25 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. N. Clements
Keyword(s):  
Annual Meeting ◽  
Special Session ◽  
African Language ◽  
Bantu Languages ◽  
Vowel Height

Proceedings of the Seventeenth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society: Special Session on African Language Structures (1991), pp. 25-64

scholarly journals Characterization of a Non-Thermal Plasma Source for the Use as a Mass Spec Calibration Tool and Non-Radioactive Aerosol Charger

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Tauber ◽  
David Schmoll ◽  
Johannes Gruenwald ◽  
Sophia Brilke ◽  
Peter Josef Wlasits ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Plasma Source ◽  
Radioactive Aerosol ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Mass Spec ◽  
Charging Mechanism ◽  
First Time ◽  
Calibration Tool ◽  
Charging Efficiency

Abstract. In this study the charging efficiency of a radioactive and a non-radioactive plasma neutralizer (Gilbert Mark I plasma charger) have been investigated at various aerosol flow rates. The results were compared to classic theoretical approaches. In addition, the chemical composition and electrical mobilities of the charger ions have been examined using an atmospheric pressure interface – time-of-flight mass spectrometer (APi-TOF MS). A comparison of the different neutralization methods revealed an increased charging efficiency for negatively charged particles using the non-radioactive plasma charger with nitrogen as working gas. The mobility and mass spectrometric measurements show that the generated neutralizer ions are of the same mobilities and composition independent of the charging mechanism. It was the first time that the Gilbert Mark I plasma charger was characterized in comparison to the standard TSI X-Ray (TSI Inc, Model 3088) and a radioactive americium neutralizer. We observed that the plasma charger with nitrogen as working gas can enhance the charging probability for sub-10 nm particles. Consequently, the limit of detection of differential or scanning mobility particle sizers can be increased down towards to smaller sizes with the Gilbert Mark I plasma charger.

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