英语辅音软腭音化和清音化制约条件的分析

运用优选论(Optimality Theory)分析了英语软腭音化(Velarization)和清音化(Devoicing)两种辅音逆同化现象的制约条件。首先介绍了目前辅音逆同化的相关制约条件并对其进行层级排列:FAITH(onset)STAY(IV)As-sim(IV)RESIST(IV)。利用上述逆同化制约条件及其层级排列,分析发音位置逆同化的双唇音化(Bilabialization)、齿音化(Dentalization)和发音方式逆同化(assimilation of manner)时可行,即能成功筛选出优选项。但是利用上述制约条件评估发音位置逆同化中的软腭音化的两个例子(quite good/kwait ud/→/kwaik ud/,that case/e tkeis/→/e k keis/)以及清音化的两个例子(five past/faiv p ast/→/faif p ast/,has to/haz t/→/has t/)时,会出现问题,即STAY(IV)淘汰优选项。为此分别提出SAME(manner)和SAME(place)两个新的制约条件代替STAY(IV),并检验了其有效性;同时证明了位置忠实性制约条件的层级要高于其它制约条件。     

Measuring rates of word‐final nasal velarization: The effect of dialect contact on in‐group and out‐group exchanges1

Three Salvadoran corpora were used to analyze word‐final nasal variation in a situation of dialect contact. To determine the effect of ethnicity on the variation, two different interviewers, one an out‐group member and a speaker of Mexican Spanish, the other an in‐group member and a speaker of Salvadoran Spanish, interacted with Salvadorans, born or claiming family ties to San Sebastián, El Salvador, now living in the Holly Spring area of Houston. To explore the impact of the speech community, the same Mexican interviewer gathered data in Segundo Barrio, which – unlike Holly Spring – is an area of Houston where Mexicans are the overwhelming majority. The Houston data were compared to data gathered in situ in San Sebastián, the latter serving as the control group used to quantify possible modifications in the contact speech samples. The Houston data showed that Salvadorans interviewed by an in‐group member of the community produced higher rates of nasal velarization; their velarization rates closely matched the patterns characteristic of the non‐contact variety. In addition, Salvadorans in Holly Spring velarized more than their counterparts in Segundo Barrio. The Houston informants used lower frequencies of nasal velarization to out‐group interviewers, thus showing accommodation and producing linguistic patterns closer to those found in the contact Mexican variety.