Obstruents - Revision history

Erin: /* General Pronunciation */

2012-11-26T23:46:25Z

General Pronunciation

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:46, 26 November 2012
Line 46:		Line 46:
	\| align="center" \| [akwa]		\| align="center" \| [akwa]
	\| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/t/t%27pgwan/recording1.mp3 t'p'''gw'''an]		\| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/t/t%27pgwan/recording1.mp3 t'p'''gw'''an]
	\| [~~dəp~~'''kw'''an]		\| [təp'''kw'''an]
	\| 'gravel or soil'		\| 'gravel or soil'
	\|-		\|-

Erin: /* Devoicing */

2012-08-06T19:06:46Z

Devoicing

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:06, 6 August 2012
Line 199:		Line 199:
	\| 'decoration; design'		\| 'decoration; design'
	\|-		\|-
	! align="center" \| j		! align="center" \| i
	\| align="center" \| j̊		\| align="center" \| j̊
	\| align="center" \| [aj̊a]		\| align="center" \| [aj̊a]
Line 206:		Line 206:
	\| 'blabbermouth'		\| 'blabbermouth'
	\|-		\|-
	! align="center" \| w		! align="center" \| u
	\| align="center" \| w̥		\| align="center" \| w̥
	\| align="center" \| [aw̥a]		\| align="center" \| [aw̥a]

Erin: /* Devoicing */

2012-08-02T16:48:59Z

Devoicing

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:48, 2 August 2012
Line 195:		Line 195:
	\| align="center" \| ɬ		\| align="center" \| ɬ
	\| align="center" \| [http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course/chapter1/ipaSOUNDS/Con-47b.AIFF [aɬa]]		\| align="center" \| [http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course/chapter1/ipaSOUNDS/Con-47b.AIFF [aɬa]]
	\| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/amaltaqa%27taqan/recording1.mp3 ama'''l''taqa'taqan]		\| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/amaltaqa%27taqan/recording1.mp3 ama'''l'''taqa'taqan]
	\| [ama'''ɬ'''taʕaːdaħan]		\| [ama'''ɬ'''taʕaːdaħan]
	\| 'decoration; design'		\| 'decoration; design'

Erin: /* Devoicing */

2012-08-02T16:48:18Z

Devoicing

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:48, 2 August 2012
Line 173:		Line 173:
	\|-		\|-
	! align="center" \| m		! align="center" \| m
	\| align="center" \| m᷂		\| align="center" \| m̥
	\| align="center" \| [am̥a]		\| align="center" \| [am̥a]
	\| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/amgwes/recording1.mp3 a'''m'''gwes]		\| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/amgwes/recording1.mp3 a'''m'''gwes]

Erin: /* Voiced */

2012-08-02T16:46:03Z

Voiced

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:46, 2 August 2012
Line 121:		Line 121:
	\|}		\|}

	Two things must be said about the table above. Firstly, a voiced /s/ is rarely pronounced as [z], and is usually only partially voiced. This is written as '''[s̬]''' in this wiki. Secondly, /t͡ʃ/ may be voiced ''word-initially''. It is the ''only'' obstruent that may do so.		Two things must be said about the table above. Firstly, a voiced /s/ is rarely pronounced as [z], and is usually only partially voiced. This is written as '''[s̬]''' in this wiki. Secondly, /t͡ʃ/ may be voiced ''word-initially'' or ''syllable-initially''. It is the ''only'' obstruent that may do so.

	It will also be noticed that, occasionally, when an obstruent is next to a sonorant, the obstruent becomes voiced ''instead'' of causing [[Obstruents#Devoicing\|devoicing]] on that sonorant. Bragg (1976) has claimed that this happens if the sonorant is ''phonetically long'', although he does not give any reason why some sonorants are phonetically long and others are not. This, however, does not seem to be the case in the Listuguj dialect: phonetically long sonorants may still undergo devoicing, as in the word ''alasumteget'', 'he or she wades through snow', which is pronounced [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/alasumteget/recording1.mp3 [àlazù'''m̥'''ːtegɛ́tʰ]].		It will also be noticed that, occasionally, when an obstruent is next to a sonorant, the obstruent becomes voiced ''instead'' of causing [[Obstruents#Devoicing\|devoicing]] on that sonorant. Bragg (1976) has claimed that this happens if the sonorant is ''phonetically long'', although he does not give any reason why some sonorants are phonetically long and others are not. This, however, does not seem to be the case in the Listuguj dialect: phonetically long sonorants may still undergo devoicing, as in the word ''alasumteget'', 'he or she wades through snow', which is pronounced [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/alasumteget/recording1.mp3 [àlazù'''m̥'''ːtegɛ́tʰ]].

Erin: /* Voiced */

2012-08-02T16:45:23Z

Voiced

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:45, 2 August 2012
Line 100:		Line 100:
	\| 'he or she makes the sound of footsteps'		\| 'he or she makes the sound of footsteps'
	\|-		\|-
	! rowspan"2" align="center" \| s		! rowspan="2" align="center" \| s
	\| align="center" \| z		\| align="center" \| z
	\| align="center" \| [http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course/chapter1/ipaSOUNDS/Con-32b.AIFF [aza]]		\| align="center" \| [http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course/chapter1/ipaSOUNDS/Con-32b.AIFF [aza]]

Erin: /* General Pronunciation */

2012-08-02T16:44:34Z

General Pronunciation

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:44, 2 August 2012
Line 24:		Line 24:
	\| align="center" \| p		\| align="center" \| p
	\| align="center" \| [http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course/chapter1/ipaSOUNDS/Con-00b.aiff [apa]]		\| align="center" \| [http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course/chapter1/ipaSOUNDS/Con-00b.aiff [apa]]
	\| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/~~servlet~~/~~dictionaryFrameSet~~.~~html?arg0=&method=searchFromMikmaq~~ e'''p'''tegwat]		\| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/aptegwat/recording1.mp3 e'''p'''tegwat]
	\| [ɛ'''p'''tegwatʰ]		\| [ɛ'''p'''tegwatʰ]
	\| 'he or she has a freckled face'		\| 'he or she has a freckled face'

Erin at 16:42, 2 August 2012

2012-08-02T16:42:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:42, 2 August 2012
Line 1:		Line 1:
	The term '''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obstruent obstruent]''' refers to the class of sounds that ''obstructs'' airflow. Across the world's languages, it is most common for obstruents to be pronounced ''without'' vocal cord vibrations (English and French are not typical in this respect, since most voiceless obstruents in these languages also have a voiced counterpart). This is in contrast to the group of '''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonorant sonorants]''', which are pronounced with ''continuous'' airflow and vocal cord vibrations (although, as we'll see below, this isn't always the case).		The term '''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obstruent obstruent]''' refers to the class of sounds that ''obstructs'' airflow. Across the world's languages, it is most common for obstruents to be pronounced ''without'' vocal cord vibrations (English and French are not typical in this respect, since most voiceless obstruents in these languages also have a voiced counterpart). This is in contrast to the group of '''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonorant sonorants]''', which are pronounced with ''continuous'' airflow and vocal cord vibrations (although, as we'll see below, this isn't always the case).

	In the Mi'gmaq of Listuguj, the obstruents are usually '''[[Obstruents#~~General_Pronunciation~~\|voiceless]]''', or pronounced without vocal cord vibrations, as is usual across languages. However, they may become '''[[Obstruents#Voiced\|voiced]]''' (pronounced with vibration of the vocal cords) in certain circumstances. Some of them are also '''[[Obstruents#Aspirated\|aspirated]]''', or pronounced with a strong puff of air, at the ends of words. Lastly, they can cause '''[[Obstruents#Devoicing\|devoicing]]''' in neighbouring sonorants. All of these processes will be discussed further below.		In the Mi'gmaq of Listuguj, the obstruents are usually '''[[Obstruents#General Pronunciation\|voiceless]]''', or pronounced without vocal cord vibrations, as is usual across languages. However, they may become '''[[Obstruents#Voiced\|voiced]]''' (pronounced with vibration of the vocal cords) in certain circumstances. Some of them are also '''[[Obstruents#Aspirated\|aspirated]]''', or pronounced with a strong puff of air, at the ends of words. Lastly, they can cause '''[[Obstruents#Devoicing\|devoicing]]''' in neighbouring sonorants. All of these processes will be discussed further below.

	It may be helpful for language learners and teachers to have a basic understanding of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPA International Phonetic Alphabet], or IPA, before reading this article. Many of the basic letters of the IPA can be found by reviewing the [[Spelling\|spelling]] of Mi'gmaq. More complex differences will be introduced with audio examples taken from Peter Ladefoged's "A Course in Phonetics" textbook and the [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/ Mi'gmaq Talking Dictionary] (where possible) below.		It may be helpful for language learners and teachers to have a basic understanding of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPA International Phonetic Alphabet], or IPA, before reading this article. Many of the basic letters of the IPA can be found by reviewing the [[Spelling\|spelling]] of Mi'gmaq. More complex differences will be introduced with audio examples taken from Peter Ladefoged's "A Course in Phonetics" textbook and the [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/ Mi'gmaq Talking Dictionary] (where possible) below.

Erin: Created page with "The term '''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obstruent obstruent]''' refers to the class of sounds that ''obstructs'' airflow. Across the world's languages, it is most common for ob..."

2012-08-02T16:41:53Z

Created page with "The term '''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obstruent obstruent]''' refers to the class of sounds that ''obstructs'' airflow. Across the world's languages, it is most common for ob..."

New page

The term '''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obstruent obstruent]''' refers to the class of sounds that ''obstructs'' airflow. Across the world's languages, it is most common for obstruents to be pronounced ''without'' vocal cord vibrations (English and French are not typical in this respect, since most voiceless obstruents in these languages also have a voiced counterpart). This is in contrast to the group of '''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonorant sonorants]''', which are pronounced with ''continuous'' airflow and vocal cord vibrations (although, as we'll see below, this isn't always the case).

In the Mi'gmaq of Listuguj, the obstruents are usually '''[[Obstruents#General_Pronunciation|voiceless]]''', or pronounced without vocal cord vibrations, as is usual across languages. However, they may become '''[[Obstruents#Voiced|voiced]]''' (pronounced with vibration of the vocal cords) in certain circumstances. Some of them are also '''[[Obstruents#Aspirated|aspirated]]''', or pronounced with a strong puff of air, at the ends of words. Lastly, they can cause '''[[Obstruents#Devoicing|devoicing]]''' in neighbouring sonorants. All of these processes will be discussed further below.

It may be helpful for language learners and teachers to have a basic understanding of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPA International Phonetic Alphabet], or IPA, before reading this article. Many of the basic letters of the IPA can be found by reviewing the [[Spelling|spelling]] of Mi'gmaq. More complex differences will be introduced with audio examples taken from Peter Ladefoged's "A Course in Phonetics" textbook and the [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/ Mi'gmaq Talking Dictionary] (where possible) below.

As a final note, please keep in mind that these pronunciations reflect the speech of the Listuguj area. Other Mi'gmaq communities may not pronounce everything quite the same way. Known differences are mentioned at the end of each section.

=General Pronunciation=

The table below contains the general pronunciations of the obstruents of Mi'gmaq. In general, they may be described as "voiceless unaspirated" obstruents - they are not pronounced with vocal cord vibrations nor with any large puff of air. They are pronounced this way in the following environments:

* Word-initially ([[Pronunciation Differences|unlike in English]]).
* Next to other obstruents
* Next to [[Obstruents#Devoicing|voiceless sonorants]]

''Note: /q/ and /qʷ/ are not included in this table, since they each have a great variety of pronunciations. They are all described on their own [[Pronunciation of Q|page]].''

{| class="wikitable"
|+ General Pronunciations of Obstruents
! Phoneme||Allophone||Pronunciation||Example||Transcription||Translation
|-
! align="center" | p
| align="center" | p
| align="center" | [http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course/chapter1/ipaSOUNDS/Con-00b.aiff [apa]]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/servlet/dictionaryFrameSet.html?arg0=&method=searchFromMikmaq e'''p'''tegwat]
| [ɛ'''p'''tegwatʰ]
| 'he or she has a freckled face'
|-
! align="center" | t
| align="center" | t
| align="center" | [http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course/chapter1/ipaSOUNDS/Con-02b.aiff [ata]]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/g/gta%27n/recording1.mp3 g'''t'''a'n]
| [ək'''t'''aːn]
| 'ocean'
|-
! align="center" | k
| align="center" | k
| align="center" | [http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course/chapter1/ipaSOUNDS/Con-08b.aiff [aka]]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/e/epgeng/recording1.mp3 ep'''g'''eng]
| [ɛp'''k'''ɛnkʰ]
| 'he or she fertilizes it'
|-
! align="center" | kʷ
| align="center" | kw
| align="center" | [akwa]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/t/t%27pgwan/recording1.mp3 t'p'''gw'''an]
| [dəp'''kw'''an]
| 'gravel or soil'
|-
! align="center" | s
| align="center" | s
| align="center" | [http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course/chapter1/ipaSOUNDS/Con-31b.AIFF [asa]]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/apattesg/recording1.mp3 apatte'''s'''g]
| [abattɛ'''s'''kʰ]
| 'it springs back'
|-
! align="center" | t͡ʃ
| align="center" | t͡ʃ
| align="center" | [at͡ʃa]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/apje%27jg/recording1.mp3 apje''''j'''g]
| [apd͡ʒɛː'''t͡ʃ'''kʰ]
| 'it is small'
|}

=Voiced=

When an obstruent is located between two vowels, it becomes '''voiced''', or pronounced with vocal cord vibrations. The voiced '''allophones''' (or pronunciations) of Mi'gmaq obstruents are described in the table below. Again, [[Pronunciation of Q|/q/ and /qʷ/]] are not shown, since they do not always have a voiced pronunciation.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Voiced Allophones of Obstruents
! Phoneme||Allophone||Pronunciation||Example||Transcription||Translation
|-
! align="center" | p
| align="center" | b
| align="center" | [http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course/chapter1/ipaSOUNDS/Con-01b.aiff [aba]]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/s/sipu/recording1.mp3 si'''p'''u]
| [sibu]
| 'river'
|-
! align="center" | t
| align="center" | d
| align="center" | [http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course/chapter1/ipaSOUNDS/Con-03b.aiff [ada]]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/g/gatu/recording1.mp3 ga'''t'''u]
| [ka'''d'''u]
| 'but'
|-
! align="center" | k
| align="center" | g
| align="center" | [http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course/chapter1/ipaSOUNDS/Con-09b.aiff [aga]]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/e/egiljet/recording1.mp3 e'''g'''iljet]
| [e'''g'''iɬt͡ʃɛtʰ]
| 'he or she reads'
|-
! align="center" | kʷ
| align="center" | gw
| align="center" | [agwa]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/altugwa%27t/recording1.mp3 altu'''gw'''a't]
| [aldu'''gw'''aːtʰ]
| 'he or she makes the sound of footsteps'
|-
! rowspan"2" align="center" | s
| align="center" | z
| align="center" | [http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course/chapter1/ipaSOUNDS/Con-32b.AIFF [aza]]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/alasenmat/recording1.mp3 ala'''s'''enmat]
| [ala'''z'''ɛnːmatʰ]
| 'he or she goes about with a light'
|-
| align="center" | s̥
| align="center" | [as̬a]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/e/elgusuet/recording1.mp3 elgu'''s'''uet]
| [ɛlːgu'''s̬'''uɛtʰ]
| 'he or she climbs (to a location)'
|-
! align="center" | t͡ʃ
| align="center" | d͡ʒ
| align="center" | [ad͡ʒa]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/e/engejit/recording1.mp3 enge'''j'''it]
| [ɛn̥ke'''d͡ʒ'''itʰ]
| 'caterpillar'
|}

Two things must be said about the table above. Firstly, a voiced /s/ is rarely pronounced as [z], and is usually only partially voiced. This is written as '''[s̬]''' in this wiki. Secondly, /t͡ʃ/ may be voiced ''word-initially''. It is the ''only'' obstruent that may do so.

It will also be noticed that, occasionally, when an obstruent is next to a sonorant, the obstruent becomes voiced ''instead'' of causing [[Obstruents#Devoicing|devoicing]] on that sonorant. Bragg (1976) has claimed that this happens if the sonorant is ''phonetically long'', although he does not give any reason why some sonorants are phonetically long and others are not. This, however, does not seem to be the case in the Listuguj dialect: phonetically long sonorants may still undergo devoicing, as in the word ''alasumteget'', 'he or she wades through snow', which is pronounced [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/alasumteget/recording1.mp3 [àlazù'''m̥'''ːtegɛ́tʰ]].

=Aspirated=

When the '''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plosive plosives]''' /p/, /t/, /k/, and /kʷ/ (again, excluding [[Pronunciation of Q|/q/ and /qʷ/]], which have their own analogous process) are located at the ''end of a word'', they become '''aspirated''', or pronounced with an additional puff of air (this also happens to plosives at the beginnings of words in [[Pronunciation Differences|English]]). The aspirated allophones are described in the table below.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Aspirated Allophones of Plosives
! Phoneme||Allophone||Pronunciation||Example||Transcription||Translation
|-
! align="center" | p
| align="center" | pʰ
| align="center" | [apʰa]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/app/recording1.mp3 ap'''p''']
| [ap'''pʰ''']
| 'again'
|-
! align="center" | t
| align="center" | tʰ
| align="center" | [atʰa]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/alapit/recording1.mp3 alabi'''t''']
| [alabi'''tʰ''']
| 'he or she looks around'
|-
! align="center" | k
| align="center" | kʰ
| align="center" | [akʰa]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/e/egumig/recording1.mp3 egumi'''g''']
| [ɛgumi'''kʰ''']
| 'it is anchored'
|-
! align="center" | kʷ
| align="center" | kʷʰ
| align="center" | [akʷʰa]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/g/gisigui%27sgw/recording1.mp3 gisigui's'''kw''']
| [kɪziguiːs'''kʷʰ''']
| 'old woman'
|}

Not all Mi'gmaq communities aspirate plosives at the ends of words. For example, in the Wagmatcook and Eskasoni communities, word-final plosives are pronounced as they would be in most other positions - that is, they are voiceless and unaspirated, as in ''a'piet'', 'he or she fishes with a net', pronounced [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/a%27piet/recording5.mp3 [aːbiɛ'''t''']] by this speaker from Eskasoni.

=Devoicing=

Most often, when an obstruent and a [[Syllables#Syllabic Sonorants|non-syllabic]] sonorant are adjacent, the obstruent will cause '''devoicing''' of the sonorant. This means that the sonorant is not pronounced with vocal cord vibrations. The devoiced allophones of Mi'gmaq sonorants are shown in the table below.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Devoiced Allophones of Sonorants
! Phoneme||Allophone||Pronunciation||Example||Transcription||Translation
|-
! align="center" | m
| align="center" | m᷂
| align="center" | [am̥a]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/amgwes/recording1.mp3 a'''m'''gwes]
| [a'''m̥'''kwɛs]
| 'first'
|-
! align="center" | n
| align="center" | n̥
| align="center" | [an̥a]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/ajiwinjit/recording1.mp3 ajiwi'''n'''jit]
| [ad͡ʒiwi'''n̥'''t͡ʃitʰ]
| 'he or she is worse than (someone else)'
|-
! rowspan="2" align="center" | l
| align="center" | l̥
| align="center" | [al̥a]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/algopit/recording1.mp3 a'''l'''gobit]
| [a'''l̥'''ːkobitʰ]
| 'he or she sits about'
|-
| align="center" | ɬ
| align="center" | [http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course/chapter1/ipaSOUNDS/Con-47b.AIFF [aɬa]]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/amaltaqa%27taqan/recording1.mp3 ama'''l''taqa'taqan]
| [ama'''ɬ'''taʕaːdaħan]
| 'decoration; design'
|-
! align="center" | j
| align="center" | j̊
| align="center" | [aj̊a]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/s/seitun/recording1.mp3 se'''i'''tun]
| [se'''j̊'''tun]
| 'blabbermouth'
|-
! align="center" | w
| align="center" | w̥
| align="center" | [aw̥a]
| [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/words-mp3/media/a/anawtig/recording1.mp3 ana'''w'''tig]
| [ana'''w̥'''tikʰ]
| 'it is inexpensive'
|}

This devoicing can only happen in one direction - that is, a sonorant that is to the ''left'' of an obstruent will be devoiced, but any sonorant to the ''right'' of an obstruent will not undergo this devoicing. This is because Mi'gmaq [[Syllables#Within-Syllable Restrictions|syllable restrictions]] only allow non-syllabic sonorants to be to the left of obstruents; all sonorants to the right of obstruents will be syllabic.

=References=
* Bragg, Russel A. (1976). ''Some Aspects of the Phonology of Newfoundland Micmac''. Masters' Thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland
* Ladefoged, Peter. 2006. ''A Course in Phonetics''. 5th ed. Boston: Thomson Higher Education.
* [http://www.mikmaqonline.org/ Mi'gmaq Talking Dictionary]