Four Melanau Dialects

Preliminary phonotactic generali-zations re: Hmwk#1 (perfect match data)

CVCVC predominates CC virtually absent VV relatively frequent

Generalization about CVCVC data: Stress is word-final

Data Phonetics Glossaraŋ Ɂaráŋ charcoalsiaw siyáw chickenbuaɁ buwáɁ fruitmuaŋ muwáŋ dryt-ən-uiŋ t-ən-uwiŋ be heard

(Belawi)daraɁ daráɁ bloodsaak saák redkait kait hook

So, how to describe the stress when the phonotactic pattern is CVCVVC? (most occur in Belawi)

Data Phonetics GlosspujoaɁ pujoaɁ taperinggaɤuət gaɤuət scratchputiaɁ putiaɁ white

What is a diphthong?

A diphthong is a tautosyllabic VV phoneme containing contradictory features, e.g. [+high] and [-high] or [+back] and [-back].

Three diphthong types occur in Malayo-Polynesian languages: Rising, Falling, and Front-back.

Diphthong types

There are equivalent ways to represent a diphthong phonetically, because [y] = [ i 7] and [w] = [u7]. For example:

Rising: ai �, ay; au� , aw; oi �, oy; ou� , ow; ei �, ey; eu� , ew; əi �, əy; əu� , əw

Falling: i �a, ya; i �ə, yə; u�a, wa; u�ə, wə Front-back: ui�, uy; iu� , iw; u� i, wi, i �u, yu; eo�, ew; oe�, oy

Vowel sequences: hetero-syllabic or tauto-syllabic?

Heterosyllabic vowel sequencessiaw = si.aw = [si.yáu7] ‘chicken’

Tautosyllabic vowel sequences?a) law [lau7] ‘day’, siaw [si.yáu7] ‘chicken’b) ñamuək [ña.muə7k] ‘mosquito’ (Belawi)

Syllabification and Stress

Phonotactics is independent of syllable structure. —Juliette Levin (2004)

Stress depends on prior syllabification.

–Bromberger and Halle (1989)

Question:

Given the data below, is Melanau stress predictable in all dialects?

How to reconcile the two stress patternsCVCVC and CVCVVC?

Consider the following dataData w/ stress Glossaráŋ charcoalsiáw chickenpə-pujoaɁ taperingbuáɁ fruitmuáŋ dryputiaɁ white (Belawi)ñamuək mosquito (Belawi)t-ən-uiŋ be heard (Belawi)gaɤuət scratch (Belawi)kiəɁ other (Belawi)tuəs needle (Belawi)

Problem for discussion

Work with a partner to work out the stress rule.

Method: manipulate the syllable structure in order to obtain the maximally general stress rule. Remember Bromberger and Halle (1989): “Stress rule depends on prior syllabification.”

Instructor’s analysis

Melanau stress pattern

All Melanau words receive stress on the final syllablic vowel of the word.

Falling diphthongs consist of a syllabic and a non-syllabic vowel, e.g. /iə7/ is one phoneme, and [la.suə7ʔ] /lasuəʔ/ ‘warm’ is disyllabic.

Therefore the last two examples are monosyllables—perhaps not phonetically but phonologically.

Data w/ stress Glosspə-pujoaɁ taperingputiaɁ white (Belawi)ñamuək mosquito (Belawi)gaɤuət scratch (Belawi)kiəɁ other (Belawi)tuəs needle (Belawi)

Phonotactics is independent of syllable structure.

Stress assignment depends on prior syllabification.

LING 485/585Winter 2009