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

Table 3–4. Reflexes of ON stops in Faroese in terms of voicing conditions
(further explanation in text and discussion of Table 3–1).
ON examples 1 Area 1 Area 2 Area 3
tala ~ dala + =/ + =/ + ?
mata * =
lita = =
átta ~ odda = = = ?
vanta ~ vanda (mnlr) = = = ?
heilsa (mnlr) /= ? 2
vatna (ptk+n, tl ) * * *
jklar (pl, kl ) = = ?
ntra (ptk+rjv) = = ?
vaxa (pk+ts) ?
3.4 Norwegian dialects
3.4.1 Jæren
Preaspirated stops have been reported to occur in Jæren on the
southwesternmost tip of Norway (see map in Figure 3-2). The existing
descriptions pertain mainly to two areas, Gjesdal on the one hand and
Stavanger and Sandnes on the other, although preaspiration seems to
occur across all of Jæren (Oftedal, 1972 3 ). The stop systems in the dialects
described are similar, but there are some differences in detail that
warrant that they be discussed separately.
Oftedal (1947) gives an account of the stop system in the Gjesdal
dialect. His observations are impressionistic and he relies on one infor-
1 Glossary: tala ‘to speak,’ dala ‘valleys (gen.),’ mata ‘to feed,’ lita ‘to colour,’ átta
‘eight,’ odda ‘points (obl.),’ vanta ‘to need,’ vanda ‘problem (obl.),’ heilsa ‘health,’
vatna ‘waters, lakes (gen.),’ jöklar ‘glaciers,’ nötra ‘to shiver,’ vaxa ‘to grow.’
2 I have only anecdotal information that the sonorants before [s] are voiced in Suðurey.
3 For example, Oftedal (1972:431) comments that in both Gjesdal (in the easternmost
part of Jæren) and Varhaug (in the southernmost part) speakers “preaspirate their postvocalic
tenues quite as strongly and audibly as most Icelanders.” He also says that the
Rural Jæren dialects are “remarkably homogenous” (ibid. p. 424). However, he does
not give any further description of the preaspiration in Varhaug.
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