<OT> New Posting: ROA-582

[roa@ruccs.rutgers.edu]

ROA 582-0203

The Analysis of Extreme Vowel Reduction

Katherine Crosswhite <crosswhi@ling.rochester.edu>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=582


Abstract:
In this paper, I examine systems of vowel reduction that
employ two levels:
moderate and extreme.  Phonetically, the occurrence of extreme
reduction
seems to be linked to non-phonemic duration, and typically
causes reduction
in vowel sonority.  Moderte reduction, on the other hand,
can cause increases
as well as decreases in vowel sonority.  Based on this type
of observation,
I hypothesize that two-pattern vowel reduction systems utilize
two distinct
forms of reduction.  That is, extreme reduction and moderate
reduction
are distinct phenomena, not 'stronger' and 'weaker' versions
of a single
process.

Keywords: vowel reduction, sonority, Russian

Areas: Phonology

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=582