Preaspiration in the Nordic Languages: Synchronic and Diachronic ...

The development of overlong stops in all Saami languages (except
Southern Saami) is posited as a result of older long stops that occurred in
the strong grade (i.e. when followed by an open syllable). These are reflected
as preaspirated in those Saami languages that have consonant gradation
(except for Inari Saami). In Northern Saami, these preaspirations
are described as long, i.e. [h], in most dialects (cf. Hansson 1997:151f;
citing Sammallahti 1971 and Itkonen 1971). In Kola Saami, in which
only overlong stops (i.e., long Proto-Saami stops in the strong grade)
have become preaspirated, preaspiration has been described as half long,
[h] (Kildin Saami), or long, [h] (both Kildin and Ter Saami; cf. Hansson
1997:158; citing Korhonen 1981 and Baczerowski 1969).
Measurements of preaspiration duration have been made for Skolt
Saami (McRobbie-Utasi 1999). The test words were disyllables embedded
in frame sentences. Two subjects were recorded. In terms of absolute
duration, sequences of vowel and preaspirated stops in Grade II disyllables
are shorter than those in Grade III disyllables. 1 Durations for both
syllable types are given in Table 3–12 (ibid:106–108).
Table 3–12. Findings from McRobbie-Utasi (1999) on mean durations (in ms)
in Skolt Saami disyllables with preaspiration. Standard deviations are given in
parentheses.
Vowel Preaspiration Closure
Grade II 175 (15) 63 (11) 193 (31)
Grade III 148 (11) 92 (20) 270 (29)
Note that although Grade III syllables are longer overall, the vowel
in such syllables is still shorter than in Grade II syllables. McRobbie
stresses that generally in Skolt Saami, the ratio between the vocalic and
the consonantal portions of the syllable are a better measure of quantity
than absolute durations. This is in keeping with findings from, e.g.,
Swedish (Bannert 1979), Icelandic (Pind 1986), Lule Saami (Engstrand
1 Grade II disyllables = the first syllable of disyllabic words, where the stop is a Proto-
Saami short stop in the strong grade or a Proto-Saami long stop in the weak grade.
Grade III disyllables = the first syllable of disyllabic words, where the stop is a Proto-
Saami long stop in the strong grade, i.e. an overlong stop.
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