vowel harmony

[Richard Valovics]

I suppose you can consider the change in Germanic languages of
the stem vowel during derivation and inflection as an instance of
regressive vowel harmony, in which case the back vowel of the
stem changes into a (the corresponding) front vowel when the
attached suffix contains a front vowel. E.g. in German:

Ort + lich > örtlich (place, location > local),

Kanal + e > Kanäle (plural of "channel"),

Minut + chen > Minütchen (diminutive of "minute"),

Danish:

anstand + ig > anstændig (dignity > decent).

In Danish, the effect of vowel harmony is blurred by the fact that
both the letter a and letter æ are ususlly pronounced as front
vowels in the modern language.
Best regards

Date sent:      	Mon, 7 Apr 2003 13:05:17 -0400
Send reply to:  	Maria Polinsky <polinsky at LING.UCSD.EDU>
From:           	Maria Polinsky <polinsky at LING.UCSD.EDU>
Subject:        	vowel harmony
To:             	LINGTYP at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG

> I am posting this message on behalf of Anya Luke-Killam, a graduate
> student in my department. Please respond to her and to myself; Anya's
> email is  aluke at ling.ucsd.edu
>
> Here's her query:
>
> Subject: Vowel Harmony question
>
> Hello all,
>
> I am currently doing research for a project on vowel harmony and I am
> looking for examples of languages that have regressive vowel harmony.
>
> I have examples of metaphony from Spanish, Italian and Saami. In each of
> these languages, there are examples in which a final vowel acts as the
> trigger in the harmony process. I am also looking into Bengali vowel
> harmony, for similar examples. I would appreciate any information about
> other languages you may know of with regressive vowel harmony.
>
> Thank you in advance,
>
> Anya Luke-Killam [aluke at ling.ucsd.edu]
> graduate student
> UC San Diego
>
> EOM
> maria polinsky
>


Richard Valovics
University of Education
Department of Danish as Second Language
Skelagervej 313
DK-8200 Aarhus
Tel.: +45-86 10 96 16
Mobile: +45-61 67 02 53