A comparative approach to the vowel systems and harmonies in the Transeurasian languages and beyond

2020 ◽  
pp. 486-508
Author(s):  
Andrew Joseph ◽  
Seongyeon Ko ◽  
John Whitman
Keyword(s):  
Vowel Harmony ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Vowel Systems ◽  
Northeast Asian ◽  
Asian Languages

In this chapter the standard treatments of the Transeurasian vowel correspondences are reviewed, including their reconstructions of hypothetical proto-inventories, for the purpose of establishing a description of the Transeurasian vowel inventory and vowel harmony type. The review commences with a comparison of two major types of vowel-harmony systems in the Transeurasian languages, i.e. the palatal vs. the tongue-root harmony systems, and presents phonetic, phonological, and comparative evidence for a tongue-root harmony analysis of Korean, Mongolic, and Tungusic. Interpretations of the main Transeurasian reconstructions are then proposed, such as Ramstedt (1952–66) and Poppe (1960b) according to tongue-root harmony analysis as opposed to the conventional palatal harmony analysis. After this, there is an effort to situate the Transeurasian vowel inventory in its typological and geographical neighborhood, including Northeast Asian languages and beyond, and in its linguistic geographical setting.

Verbal categories in the Transeurasian languages

2020 ◽  
pp. 604-624
Author(s):  
Andrej Malchukov ◽  
Patryk Czerwinski
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
The One ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Northeast Asian ◽  
Asian Languages

The aims of this chapter are twofold. On the one hand, an analytic survey of the verbal categories across the Transeurasian language families, coached in general typological terms for better comparison. On the other hand, a selective discussion of the verbal domain, focusing on convergent developments across the individual families. Most of these similarities are clearly due to independent developments reflecting shared diachronic scenarios rooted in common typology, but some other are arguably due to areal influence. We examine in more detail two examples of such convergent developments, one pertaining to the development of adversative passives, and the other to the renewal of finite forms (and tense and mood categories) through nominalizations. The latter development, discussed in typological literature under the label of “insubordination,” “desubordination,” or “verbalization,” is shown to be an areal feature of Northeast Asian languages.

Uvular approximation as an articulatory vowel feature

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan P. Evans ◽  
Jackson T.-S. Sun ◽  
Chenhao Chiu ◽  
Michelle Liou
Keyword(s):  
Ultrasound Imaging ◽  
Acoustic Signal ◽  
Sichuan Province ◽  
Vowel Harmony ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
International Phonetic Alphabet ◽  
Place Of Articulation ◽  
Acoustic Correlates ◽  
Vowel Systems ◽  
The Difference

This study explores the phenomenon of uvularization in the vowel systems of two Heishui County varieties of Qiang, a Sino-Tibetan language of Sichuan Province, China. Ultrasound imaging (one speaker) shows that uvularized vowels have two tongue gestures: a rearward gesture, followed by movement toward the place of articulation of the corresponding plain vowel. Time-aligned acoustic and articulatory data show how movement toward the uvula correlates with changes in the acoustic signal. Acoustic correlates of uvularization (taken from two speakers) are seen most consistently in raising of vowel F1, lowering of F2 and in raising of the difference F3-F2. Imaging data and the formant structure of [l] show that uvular approximation can begin during the initial consonant that precedes a uvularized vowel. Uvularization is reflected phonologically in the phonotactic properties of vowels, while vowel harmony aids in the identification of plain–uvularized vowel pairs. The data reported in this paper argue in favor of a revision of the catalog of secondary articulations recognized by the International Phonetic Alphabet, in order to include uvularization, which can be marked with the symbol [ʶ] in the case of approximation and [χ] for secondary uvular frication.

A Bottom-Up Approach to Vowel Systems: The Case of Yadu Qiang*

2007 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-186
Author(s):  
Jonathan P. Evans ◽  
Chenglong Huang
Keyword(s):  
Vowel Harmony ◽  
Minimal Set ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Vowel Systems ◽  
Binary Features

Examining vowel harmony processes at work in Yadu Qiang reveals the smallest set of features needed to account for vowel oppositions, hence vowel structure. Arguments are evaluated for binarity/unarity of features, and the roles of marginal and disappearing contrasts. A minimal set of features that accounts for vowel processes predicts the existence of abstract vowels, which are shown to be active in the vowel system. The required binary features are Front, A TR, and Low, while Round and Rhotic are unary features. The study draws paralleis with Hyman's (2003) analysis of Kalong, in which all vowel features are shown to be unary.

scholarly journals A Comparative Analysis of the Albanian and British English Vowel System

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Lenida Lekli
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Detailed Analysis ◽  
English Language ◽  
Clear Picture ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Crucial Importance ◽  
Horizontal Movement ◽  
British English ◽  
Vowel Systems ◽  
Schematic Arrangement

Analyzing the complexity of the articulatory process of the vowels in Albanian and English language is of crucial importance in distinguishing their unique phonetic and phonological properties. The standard Albanian vocalic system includes seven vowels, unlike the standard British English vowel system which consists of five vowels. Drawing points of similarity and differentiation between the vowel systems of the two languages requires detailed analysis regarding the degree of opening and the position of the tongue in the vowel tract. Therefore the purpose of this paper is to highlight differences and similarities of the vowel system (monophthongs) between standard Albanian language and British English. The seven Albanian vowels considerably differ from their five English counterparts, not only by their degree of opening but even by their placement concerning the horizontal movement of the tongue, which can be observed by examining the two vowel charts of both languages. The Albanian vowel system is displayed through a triangle, meanwhile the English vowel system is a schematic arrangement of vowels into a quadrilateral.Thus analyzing their properties by using a comparative approach regarding vowels articulation in both languages would help in generating a clear picture of their common and distinguishing characteristics.

Vowel harmony in Khalkha Mongolian, Yaka, Finnish and Hungarian

1985 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 253-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Goldsmith
Keyword(s):  
West African ◽  
Vowel Harmony ◽  
Theoretical Discussion ◽  
Vowel Systems ◽  
Made In

The discussion of vowel harmony in this paper continues the theoretical discussion that was sparked by Clements' first proposals concerning an autosegmental treatment of vowel harmony in general (1980 [1976]). I will attempt to show that problems that arose in early autosegmental treatments of certain types of vowel harmony can be elegantly overcome and that autosegmental theory more generally provides an attractive framework for the treatment of vowel systems and vowel harmony. I will discuss three distinct types of systems here: the slightly asymmetrical system of Khalkha Mongolian, the canonical five-vowel system as it can be seen in Bantu (Yaka, in this case), and the well-known Finnish/Hungarian type of system. The kinds of advances made here answer, I believe, the critical comments made in Anderson (1980), in which significant sceptical questions are raised concerning whether the successes of autosegmental accounts of West African systems can be extended to other types of vowel harmony systems.

Lectin-Induced RBC Agglutination: Chemical vs. Cryofixation

1980 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 664-665
Author(s):  
Dean A. Handley ◽  
Lanping A. Sung ◽  
Shu Chien
Keyword(s):  
Lectin Binding ◽  
Freeze Substitution ◽  
Electrostatic Charge ◽  
Geometric Parameters ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Chemical Fixation ◽  
Cell Surfaces ◽  
Minimal Cell ◽  
Membrane Stiffness ◽  
Cell Contour

RBC agglutination by lectins represents an interactive balance between the attractive (bridging) force due to lectin binding on cell surfaces and disaggregating forces, such as membrane stiffness and electrostatic charge repulsion (1). During agglutination, critical geometric parameters of cell contour and intercellular distance reflect the magnitude of these interactive forces and the size of the bridging macromolecule (2). Valid ultrastructural measurements of these geometric parameters from agglutinated RBC's require preservation with minimal cell distortion. As chemical fixation may adversely influence RBC geometric properties (3), we used chemical fixation and cryofixation (rapid freezing followed by freeze-substitution) as a comparative approach to examine these parameters from RBC agglutinated with Ulex I lectin.

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