9.980, Sum: Debuccalization

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LINGUIST List:  Vol-9-980. Mon Jun 29 1998. ISSN: 1068-4875.

Subject: 9.980, Sum: Debuccalization

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1)
Date:  Sun, 28 Jun 1998 22:22:58 -0400 (EDT)
From:  Paul Fallon <pfallon at paprika.mwc.edu>
Subject:  Debuccalization with loss of secondary articulation

-------------------------------- Message 1 -------------------------------

Date:  Sun, 28 Jun 1998 22:22:58 -0400 (EDT)
From:  Paul Fallon <pfallon at paprika.mwc.edu>
Subject:  Debuccalization with loss of secondary articulation

In Linguist List 9-564 I posted a query asking whether anyone knew of a
synchronic alternation or diachronic sound change in which an obstruent
with secondary articulation like a (unit) /kw/ debuccalizes (loses its
oral articulation) to become a glottal stop /?/, or a palatalized theta
/8y/ > [h] (8 = theta).  Here I provide the summary.

I would like to thank the following linguists for responding:

Donn Bayard <ANTH03 at rivendell.otago.ac.nz>
Chris Cleirigh <cleirigh at speech.usyd.edu.au>
Robert D Hoberman <RHOBERMAN at ccmail.sunysb.edu>
Leon A Serafim <serafim at hawaii.edu>

The only case I know of is in Kashaya, a Southern Pomo language, as
analyzed by Eugene Buckley in _Theoretical aspects of Kashaya phonology
and morphology_ (1994, CSLI).  In this case the labialized uvular /qW/,
along with other uvulars, undergoes debuccalization in the coda.  The
outcome depends on the following segment, but the end result is either
plain [h] or [?].  However, /qW/ never surfaces in the phonology,
undergoing a type of rounding transfer in which the labialization rounds
following /i,e,a/, and the uvular delabializes; no suffix begins with /u,o/.

Another possible case is in Takelma (Sapir 1922 in vol. 2 of the
_Handbook of American Indian Languages_).  In this case, a labialized
velar ejective before /x/ and then a consonant becomes glottal stop;
before /xV/, the labialization is transferred.  (The plain velar ejective
debuccalizes to glottal stop in both cases, while other velar consonants
simply delete).

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who can give other examples like the
Kashaya case.

I my query I contrasted this with other cases involving secondary
articulation such as the preservation of secondary articulation in
debuccalization, e.g. in Irish, where palatalized /tj, sj/ > [hj].  Other
examples include diachronic changes in Guddiri Hausa, Yuman, and
Circassian.  (See my forthcoming paper in CLS).  I find it unusual that
there seem to be more cases of debuccalization with preservation of
secondary articulation than of debuccalization with loss of secondary
articulation.

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who can give other examples like the
Kashaya case.

I my query I contrasted this with other cases involving secondary
articulation such as the preservation of secondary articulation in
debuccalization, e.g. in Irish, where palatalized /tj, sj/ > [hj].  Other
examples include diachronic changes in Guddiri Hausa, Yuman, and
Circassian.  (See my forthcoming paper in CLS).  I find it unusual that
there seem to be more cases of debuccalization with preservation of
secondary articulation than of debuccalization with loss of secondary
articulation.

Some of the respondents mentioned other types of simple debuccalization
in Ethiopian Semitic, and in Japanese, where p usually became h
initially.  I was also referred to fusional cases in Bangkok Thai (/kw/
and /khw/ tend to become /f/) and some dialects of Japanese (cf. also the
well-known Proto-Indo-European *kW > p in Greek).  In addition, Leon
Serafim mentioned Northern Ryukyuan Japanese cases in which syncope
created sequences of glottal followed by glide.  My primary interest,
however was in different types of debuccalization.  Thanks again to those
who responded.

-Paul Fallon
pfallon at howard.edu

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