Preaspiration in the Nordic Languages: Synchronic and Diachronic ...
Preaspiration in the Nordic Languages: Synchronic and Diachronic ...
Preaspiration in the Nordic Languages: Synchronic and Diachronic ...
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P<strong>in</strong>d’s experiments as well as <strong>the</strong> durational data presented <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
preced<strong>in</strong>g section, show that proportional durations are better suited to<br />
elucidate durational <strong>in</strong>formation from <strong>the</strong> production data than are absolute<br />
durations alone. However, one should keep <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d that P<strong>in</strong>d’s f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
relate to Icel<strong>and</strong>ic, which demonstrably has complementary length<br />
distribution. It should not be taken for granted that an approach highlight<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Pr/VPr ratios is appropriate for all languages that have preaspiration.<br />
3.3 Faroese<br />
The presence of preaspirated stops <strong>in</strong> Faroese was noted by Jacobsen<br />
as early as 1891 <strong>and</strong> has been discussed by a number of researchers<br />
s<strong>in</strong>ce, e.g. Jacobsen & Matras (1927–28), Naert (1958), Rischel (1961),<br />
Werner (1963), Zachariasen (1968), Henriksen (1983), Petersen et al.<br />
(1998) <strong>and</strong> Petersen (1994–5). The descriptions of <strong>the</strong> phonological<br />
distribution of preaspiration presented by <strong>the</strong>se authors differ. They all<br />
agree on <strong>the</strong> presence of preaspiration before stops that derive from ON<br />
pp, tt, kk (which yield VC syllables <strong>in</strong> Modern Faroese). This is reflected<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> data analysed for <strong>the</strong> present study, where we f<strong>in</strong>d, for example,<br />
[klhp] glopp ‘gap,’ [h] troyttur ‘tired’ <strong>and</strong> [phk] bakkar<br />
‘banks (e.g., of a river).’ Although it is not explicitly stated, one can <strong>in</strong>fer<br />
from <strong>the</strong>se descriptions that clusters of ON pp, tt, kk + n, l, r, j, v (conta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
what is presumably a gem<strong>in</strong>ate fortis 1 stop <strong>in</strong> ON) are also preaspirated<br />
<strong>in</strong> Faroese today. The available data do not conta<strong>in</strong> any such<br />
examples, but <strong>the</strong>y are found <strong>in</strong> words like kettl<strong>in</strong>gur ‘kitten,’ styttri<br />
‘shorter’ <strong>and</strong> lykkja ‘loop.’<br />
However, as regards reflexes of ON p, t, k <strong>in</strong> words like leypa ‘to<br />
run,’ litur ‘colour’ <strong>and</strong> baka ‘to bake,’ which <strong>in</strong> Modern Faroese have a<br />
VC syllable structure, <strong>the</strong> descriptions are contradictory. Accord<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
<strong>the</strong> earlier sources (e.g., Jacobsen 1891, Jacobsen & Matras 1927–28,<br />
Rischel 1961, Werner 1963), ON fortis stops are preaspirated <strong>in</strong> VC syllables<br />
only if <strong>the</strong> preced<strong>in</strong>g vowel is a diphthong that ends as a close<br />
1 Aga<strong>in</strong> it should be po<strong>in</strong>ted out that <strong>the</strong> use of <strong>the</strong> terms “fortis” <strong>and</strong> “lenis” does not<br />
express a phonetic differenciation, but <strong>in</strong>stead provides a way of dist<strong>in</strong>guish<strong>in</strong>g<br />
between <strong>the</strong> two stop series on an abstract level.<br />
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