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

vowel (i.e., [i] or [u]). All other vowels, including close monophthongs
([i] and [u]), seem to block preaspiration.
Table 3–3. Main dialectal divisions in the production of Faroese VC syllables,
where C is a reflex of ON p, t, k. Based on Petersen (1994–5).
Area 1
Area 2
Area 3
Region Context & realisation
Mykines, Vágar, Eysturoy,
Northern Streymoy;
(see area in Fig. 3.1)
Norðoyar,
Southern Streymoy;
(see area in Fig. 3.1)
Sandoy, Suðuroy;
(see area in Fig. 3.1)
– 55 –
+ p/p / / k/k
+ hp h h hk
V + p k
V + b
More recent accounts (e.g., Henriksen 1983, Petersen 1994–5 and
Petersen et al. 1998) are quite at odds with these earlier descriptions.
According to Petersen (1994–5), the Faroes can be divided into three
main areas with regard to how such sequences are produced, which will
be referred to here simply as Area 1, Area 2, and Area 3 (see Table 3–3
and map in Figure 3-1 for further specifications of these areas). Preaspiration
in VC syllables is found only in Area 1, and then only if the stop
is preceded by a non-close vowel (i.e., [ e ø o] 1 ). After close
vowels (i.e., [i u] 2 ) stops are voiceless and unaspirated
or (sporadically) slightly postaspirated. In Area 1, therefore, one
would expect leypa to be produced as [lp] or [lp] and baka as
[pk]. 3 Note that this is almost the reverse of the earlier description.
1 These are represented as [aa e ø o] in, e.g., Petersen et al. (1998). The most
common orthographic representations for these vowels are á, a/æ, e, ø and o.
2 These are represented as [i uiu œu aiii] in, e.g., Petersen et al. (1998).
Orthographically, these are commonly represented as i/y, u, í/ý, ú, ó, ei, ey and oy.
3 Also, although this is not mentioned by Petersen, one might expect to find a contrast
between unaspirated and preaspirated stops after long vowels in Area 1. The Faroese
data analysed in Chapter 4 indicate, for example, that one of the subjects produces the
“native” word eta ‘to eat’ as [eh], while the loan word sleta ‘sleigh’ is produced as
[sle].