LL-L "Phonology" 2008.02.15 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

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L O W L A N D S - L  - 15 February 2008 - Volume 03
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Phonology

Dear Lowlanders,

I assume many of you remember the thesis according to which most or all
non-European "Dutch"-based language varieties are primarily based on
Zeelandic (*Zeêuws*). This makes sense historically, considering Zeeland's
seafaring traditions. And there appear to be linguistic indications as well,
some of which Marco Evenhuis told us about two or three years ago.

I have been listening to the Zeelandic and West Flemish translations of our
wren story, since we are dealing with closely related varieties that ought
to be treated as one group were it not for political distinctions):

   - *(1) Kwadendamme Zeelandic*
   http://lowlands-l.net/anniversary/zeeuws.php
   - (2) Nieuwport West Flemish
   http://lowlands-l.net/anniversary/westvlams2.php
   - *(3) Roeselare West Flemish*
   http://lowlands-l.net/anniversary/westvlams.php

On that basis I took another look at the translations without audio files in
order to find orthographic indicators:

   - *(4) Oost Souburg Zeelandic*
   http://lowlands-l.net/anniversary/zeeuws-oostsouburg.php
   - (5) Ostend West Flemish
   http://lowlands-l.net/anniversary/westvlams3.php

I concentrated on falling diphthongs, namely on those that tend to be
spelled *eê* and *oô* (~ *ô*) and tend to be pronounced [eˑɛ] ~ [iˑe] (SAMPA
[e:\E] ~ [i:\e]) and [oˑɔ] ~ [uˑo] (SAMPA [o:\O] ~ [u:\o]) respectively.
These seem to be present in all of the above except in the Nieuwport
dialect. Furthermore, in Western Brabantish (which has Flemish substrata) I
found what I consider a relative set of diphthongs, not in the (6) Antwerp
dialect (http://lowlands-l.net/anniversary/brabants-antwerpen.php) but in
the *(7) Merchtem dialect* (http://lowlands-l.net/anniversary/brabants.php):
[iˑə] (SAMPA [i:\@]) and [uˑə] (SAMPA [u:\@]) respectively. These are the
equivalents of what in (8) Standard Dutch are spelled *ee* and
*oo*respectively, originally indicating long monophthongs: [e:] and
[o:]
respectively, though in some dialects the are now pronounced as rising
diphthongs: [eˑɪ] (SAMPA [e:\I]) and [oˑʊ] (SAMPA [o:\U]) respectively.

This is indeed very similar to, in some cases virtually identical with, *(9)
Afrikaans*: *ee* [iˑe] and *oo* [uˑo] (SAMPA [i:\e] and [u:\o]); e.g.,

   - *keer *(time, occasion):
   (1) *keêr*
   (3) *keê*
   (4) *keêr*
   (7) *kieë*
   (9) *keer* [kiˑer]

   - *groot *(great, large, big):
   (1) *groôt*
   (3) *groôt*
   (4) *groôt*
   (7) *groeët*
   (9) *groot *[xruˑot]

Be it related or coincidental, there appears to be a common phonological
feature in Flemish-Zeelandic and Afrikaans.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
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