LL-L "Phonology" 2004.03.15 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 15.MAR.2004 (02) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: jkrause <jkrause at old-sod-shanty.com>
Subject: Phonology

Excuse me, Gary.  Back up here for a moment.  What are voiceless plosives,
and aspirations?
Jim Krause

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Phonology

Gary, Jim, Lowlanders,

Thanks for the questions regarding aspiration in Lowlands Saxon (Low
German).  I can only provide a fairly general answer regarding dialectal
distribution.

Jim, "voiceless plosives" in our language are /p/, /t/ and /k/ (versus
voiced /b/, /d/ and /g/ respectively).  In most LS dialects, as in the vast
majority of English dialects, these voiceless plosives pronounced directly
before a vowel (e.g., /pa/, /ti/, /ko/) are uttered with more or less
simultaneously emitted breath, a puff of air, referred to as "aspiration."
(In some English dialects of Southern England and also in some Danish
dialects, aspiration is so strong that it leads to affricate pronunciation,
such as [tsu:] for English _too_, which is probably how German went through
the consonant shift.)  In Dutch (as in all Romance languages, for example)
this aspiration does not occur.  Probably, this can be said of all Low
Franconian and Rhenish dialects.

Gary, according to my observations, lack of aspiration can be found in the
westernmost and easternmost dialects of LS.  The former are transitional to
or influenced by Low Franconian.  I believe that this includes most of those
of the Westphalian group (but please correct me if I'm wrong, folks).  Most
of those of the extreme east are now moribund or extinct.  They all have
Slavonic and/or Baltic substrates or influences.  Undoubtedly, aspiration is
old in LS (probably carried over into English), but German influence should
not be discounted as a more recent contributing or reinforcing factor in
some of those closer to the geographic peripheries.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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