34.400, Books: Velar fronting in German dialects: Hall

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LINGUIST List: Vol-34-400. Wed Feb 01 2023. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 34.400, Books: Velar fronting in German dialects: Hall

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Editor for this issue: Maria Lucero Guillen Puon <luceroguillen at linguistlist.org>
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Date: Wed, 01 Feb 2023 01:27:42
From: Sebastian Nordhoff [sebastian.nordhoff at langsci-press.org]
Subject: Velar fronting in German dialects: Hall

 


Title: Velar fronting in German dialects 
Subtitle: A study in synchronic and diachronic phonology 
Series Title: Open Germanic Linguistics  

Publication Year: 2022 
Publisher: Language Science Press
	   http://langsci-press.org
	

Book URL: https://langsci-press.org/catalog/book/331 


Author: Tracy Alan Hall

Electronic: ISBN:  978396110398 Pages: 896 Price: Europe EURO 0 Comment: Open Access


Abstract:

Velar Fronting (VF) is the name for any synchronic or diachronic phonological
process shifting the velar place of articulation to the palatal region of the
vocal tract. A well-known case of VF in Standard German is the rule specifying
that the fricative [x] assimilates to [ç] after front segments. VF also refers
to the change from velar sounds like [ɣ k g ŋ] to palatals ([ʝ c ɟ ɲ]). The
book provides a thorough investigation of VF in German dialects: Data are
drawn from over 300 original sources for varieties that are (or were) spoken
in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other countries.

VF differs geographically along three parameters: (A) triggers, (B) targets,
and (C) outputs. VF triggers (=A) are typically defined according to vowel
height: In some systems VF is induced only by high front vowels, in others by
high and mid front vowels, and in yet others by high, mid, and low front
vowels. Some varieties treat consonants ([r l n]) as triggers, while others do
not. VF can be nonassimilatory, in which case the rule applies even in the
context of back segments. In many varieties of German, VF targets (=B) consist
of the two fricatives [x ɣ], but in other dialects the targets comprise [x]
but not [ɣ]. In some places, VF affects not only [x ɣ], but also velar stops
and the velar nasal. The output of VF (=C) is typically palatal [ç] (given the
input [x]), but in many other places it is the alveolopalatal [ɕ].

A major theme is the way in which VF interacts with synchronic and diachronic
changes creating or eliminating structures which can potentially undergo it or
trigger it. In many dialects the relationship between velars ([x]) and
palatals ([ҫ]) is transparent because velars only occur in the back vowel
context and palatals only when adjacent to front sounds. In that type of
system, independent processes can either feed VF (by creating additional
structures which the latter can undergo), or they can bleed it (by eliminating
potential structures to which VF could apply).

In other dialects, VF is opaque. In one opaque system, both velars ([x]) and
palatals ([ҫ]) surface in the context of front segments. Thus, in addition to
expected front vowel plus palatal sequences ([…iç…]), there are also
unexpected ones consisting of front vowel plus velar ([…ix…]). In a second
type of opaque system, velars and palatals are found in the context of back
segments; hence, expected sequences such as […iç…] occur in addition to
unexpected ones like […ɑç…].
 



Linguistic Field(s): Historical Linguistics
                     Phonology

Subject Language(s): English (eng)
                     German (deu)


Written In: English  (eng)

See this book announcement on our website: 
http://linguistlist.org/pubs/books/get-book.cfm?BookID=168013




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