<OT> New Posting: ROA-731

[roa at ruccs.rutgers.edu]

ROA 731-0405

Vowel harmony in contact-induced systems: the case of Asia Minor dialects of Greek

Anthi Revithiadou <revithiadou at rhodes.aegean.gr>
Marc van Oostendorp <Marc at vanOostendorp.nl>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=731


Abstract:
The Asia Minor dialects of Greek display two patterns of
vowel assimilation that look superficially like the vowel
harmony that is familiar from Turkish. In this paper, we
discuss these patterns and show that they should not be
identified as vowel harmony of the Turkic type. In particular,
we argue that two disyllabic domains can be identified,
one at the beginning of the word and one at the end. `Harmony'
within these two domains conforms to different principles.
Initial-domain harmony is sonority-driven and it is attested
in other Greek dialects of the southern zone as well. Final-domai
n harmony is not sonority-driven but features sensitivity
to stress which is unattested in Turkish.

Comments: Additional co-authors: Kalomoira Nikolou & Maria-Anna Tiliopoulou
Keywords: harmony, vowel copying, harmonic span, positional markedness, license
Areas: Phonology,Sociolinguistics
Type: Journal Article

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=731