Towards a family portrait of Austroasiac: phonological
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Towards a family portrait of Austroasia2c: phonological characteris2cs Tobias Weber [email protected] SEALS 22, Agay, France, May 30 – June 2, 2012
Transcript of Towards a family portrait of Austroasiac: phonological
TowardsafamilyportraitofAustroasia2c:
phonologicalcharacteris2cs TobiasWeber
SEALS 22, Agay, France, May 30 – June 2, 2012
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Methodology researchques*ons:
WhatistypicalforAustroasia*c(AA)? WhatisuncommoninAA?
TowhatdegreedotheAAlanguagesmatchthearealpa>ernsofsurroundinglanguages?
datafrom50+AAlanguagesandsomedominantnon‐AAcontactlanguages(takenfromgrammarsandotherdescrip*ons)
forsomeproper*es:Mon‐KhmerEtymologicalDic*onarydatabase(SidwellandCooper2007‐2012)
forabroadercomparison:UPSID(UCLAPhonologicalSegmentInventoryDatabase,containing451languages,firstpresentedinMaddieson1984)andtheWALS(WorldAtlasofLanguageStructures,latestversionbyDryeretal.[eds.]2011)
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Sizeoftheconsonantinventory small(20consonantsorless):languagesofalmostallAAbranches
Munda:Gorum18 Katuic(e.g.PacohandSuei18)
Palaungic(e.g.P‘uman17,Riang18) Bahnaric(e.g.Rengao19,Jeh19,Hrê18)
Khmuic(e.g.Mal17) Khmer17,Pear18
Aslian:Kensiu18,Jahai19,Temiar19
Nicobarese:CNicobarese16,Car17
average(21‐29consonants):
majorityoftheAAlanguages
majorityofthelanguagesworldwide,including:Thai22,Malay21+
large(30consonantsormore):
Munda:Santali30,Kharia31 Bahnaric:Sre30,Loven38
Palaungic:Lawa38 also:Bengali31,Burmese33
Khmuic:SKhmu‘30
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Sizeoftheconsonantinventory CommonconsonantinventoryofAustroasia2clanguages
p t c k ʔb d ɟ ɡ
s h
m n ñ ŋ
r
l y w
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Stopseries 1series
CNicobarese:onlyplainvoiceless
2series:usuallyvoicelessvs.(some2mesimplosive)voiced
Munda:Sora,Gutob Bahnaric:Rengao,Jeh,Hrê,Halang
Palaungic:Riang,Shwe Khmer,Pear
Khmuic:SKhmu‘(+/‐aspirated),Mal Aslian:majorityofthelanguages
Katuic:Suei also:Malay
3series:usuallyaspiratedvoicelessvs.nonaspiratedvoicelessvs.voiced
Khasi Katuic:Kuy,Katu,Ngeq
Palaungic:Danau Mon(vd.impl.)
Khmuic:SKhmu‘(voicedimplosive) Aslian:MahMeri,Semelai
Vie*c:Thavung,Vietnamese(vd.impl.) also:Burmese,Thai
3series:voicelessvs.voicedvs.implosive
Bahnaric:S*eng,Chrau,Bahnar,Loven Katuic:Katu
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Stopseries 4series:aspiratedvs.nonaspiratedvoicelessvs.voicedvs.breathyvoiced
Munda:Korku,Santali,Mundari,Kharia
also:manyIndo‐Aryanlgs
4series:aspiratedvs.nonaspiratedvoicelessvs.voicedvs.implosive
Palaungic:Lawa(voicedisprenasalized)
Bahnaric:Sre
themajorityoftheAAlanguageshavetwoorthreestopseries,geographicpictureunclear,but:
oneseriesisrare
Aslianpredominantlytwo,Vie*cpredominantlythreeseries
fourseriesinMundalanguagesduetolanguagecontactwithIndo‐Aryan
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Frica2ves sandhonly:vastmajorityoftheAAlanguages v,s,h:Santali(Munda),otherSouthAsianlanguages,Riang,Wa(Palaungic),
Thavung(Vie*c),Suei(Katuic),Khmer
f/ɸ,s,h:Lawa(Palaungic),Kuy(Katuic),Min*l(Aslian),CNicobarese(alsoThai)
s,ʃ,h:Amwi(Khasic),Mon(alsoBengali)
s,z,h:Remo(Munda)
morecomplexcontrasts: Danau(Palaungic):θ,s,ʃ,h(cf.Burmese)
Loven(Bahnaric):f,v,‘v,s,‘s,h,‘h Vietnamese:f,v,s,z,x,ɣ,h
allthedominantlanguagesintheAAspeakingareahavemorefrica*vesthanjustsandh
arealmismatch
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Word‐ini2alvelarnasal/ŋ/ presentin50%oftheWALSlanguages(Anderson2011)
commoninEurasiaonlyintheNEandtheSE virtuallyallAAlanguageshaveaphonemicvelarnasal
virtuallyallMon‐Khmerlanguagesalsohaveaword‐ini*alvelarnasal
inMundalanguagesthevelarnasaldoesnotoccurword‐ini*ally(asinotherlanguagesofSouthAsia)
matchesthearealpicture:word‐ini*alvelarnasalpresentinthelanguagesofMSEA,largelyabsentinSouthAsia
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Otheruncommonconsonants retroflexconsonants:Munda(asinotherSouthAsianlanguages) preglo>alizednasals:SKhmu‘,Loven,Halang,Sedang(analyzedasclusters)
preglo>alizedliquids:Loven(landr),Bahnar(l)
preglo>alizedglides:Lawa(yandvl.y),Bahnar(y),Hrê(y,vl.y,w)
voicelesssonorants:Lawa(N,l,r,y),SKhmu‘(N,l,r,w),Sre(ñ,y,w),Loven(N,l,y),Sedang(N,y,w(analyzedasclusters)),Mon(N,l),Che‘Wong(N),(alsoBurmese(N,l))
otherglides:palatalroundedglide(Wa),backunroundedglide(Mal)
preplodednasals(non‐phonemic):severalAslian;alsosomeAustronesianlanguagesofBorneoandSumatra
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Sizeofthevowelinventory AveragevowelsystemofAAlanguages
(nottakingintoaccountdiphthongsanddis*nc*onsinlength,nasaliza*on,andphona*ontypes):
i ɨ/ɯ u
e ə/ɤ o
ɛ ɔ
a
majorityoftheAAmorecomplexthanwhatiscommonlyfound
wordwide(5‐6vowels)
lesscomplex:mostMunda,Khasic,andalsoMalay(6)
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Diphthongs complexdis*nc*onsinAAlanguages;alsoinvolvingonlynon‐highvowels
Mundari(Munda):7:ae,oe,oa,ua,ia,ea,eo(cf.SouthAsia:notthatprominent)
Shwe(Palaungic):9:eo,ɛǝ,aɛ,oǝ,iǝ,eǝ,uǝ,(aǝ),(ɔɛ) Khmu‘:4:ia,ɨa,ua,ǝa Bruu(Katuic):14:ia,ea,ɯa,oa,oʌ,ua,ieʰ,iaʰ,ɯoʰ,oaʰ,uoʰ,uaʰ,ũǝ,ũa Sedang(Bahnaric):9:ia,ua,ea,oa,io,uo,eo,ie,oe
Khmer:13:ei,ǝɨ,uǝ,ou,æɛ,aǝ,ao,ĕǝ,ŭǝ,ŏǝ,iǝ,ɨǝ,ɔǝ lesscomplexinAslianandNicobarese(cf.neighboringAustronesian:not
thatcomplex,exceptAcehneseandsomeChamic)
alsofairlycomplexinThai/Lao,notthatcomplexinotherMSEA
complexdiphthongdis*nc*onsarefairlyprominentinMSEA;themostcomplexdis*nc*onsarefoundinAA
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Nasalizedvowels 22.62%oftheUPSIDlanguages notverycommoninMSEA,commoninSouthAsia
Munda:majority(butnotKharia)
Khasic:e.g.Amwi(butnotKhasi)
Katuic:Bruu,Suei
Bahnaric:onlyfew,suchasJehandSedang
Aslian:common
Nicobarese:common,presentinC.NicobareseandCar
matchesthearealpa>ernsfairlywell;Aslianalsoneedstobecomparedto
AustronesianlanguagesofBorneoandSumatra
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Longvowels lengthdis*nc*onin11.3%oftheUPSIDlanguages presencecommoninAAlanguagesandalsogenerallyinMSEA
Munda:atleastinHoandGorum(butnotinmanyotherMundalanguages)(cf.Hindi:present,Bengali:absent)
Khasic:Khasi Palaungic:atleastinShweandWayes(cf.dis*nc*onabsentinBurmese)
Khmuic:generallypresent(cf.Thai/Lao:present)
Vie*c:Thavung(butnotVietnamese)
Katuic:presencecommon
Bahnaric:majority(butnotSedangandHrê)
KhmerandPear:present
Aslian:atleastinTemiar,MahMeri,andSemelai(cf.Malay:absent)
Nicobarese:CNicobareseabsent,Carpresent
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Midvowelseries values:onevs.two(i.e./e/vs./ε/and/or/o/vs./ɔ/) worldwide:oneseriesmorecommon(incl.Hindi,Malay)
MSEA:twoseriescommon(incl.Thai,Burmese,andalsoBengali)
majorityoftheAAlanguageshavetwoseries
thefollowinglanguagesonlyhaveoneseries:
Munda:majority(butSantaliandSorahavetwo)
Khasic:Khasi(butAmwihas2)
Bahnaric:Chrau,CMnong,Jeh,Halang
matchesthearealpa>ern:oneseriescommoninSouthAsia,twoseries
commoninMSEAeastofBurmese
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Central/backunroundedvowels Presenceofphonemicschwa(/ə/or/ɤ/)and/orhighcentral/backvowel(/ɨ/or/ɯ/) worldwide:20.81%oftheUPSIDlanguageshaveschwa,15.52%havethehighcentral/
backvowel MSEA:presenceofbothcommon
Munda:majoritynone,Remoonlyschwa,SantaliandSoraboth(cf.Hindi:schwaonly,Bengali:none)
Khasic:Khasinone,Amwischwa
Palaungic:Riang,ShweandWaschwaonly,P‘umanandLawaboth(cf.Burmese:schwaonly)
Bahnaric:Jeh,Halang,Modra,Didranone;CMnongandSedangschwaonly,restboth
remainingbranchesgenerallyboth
Thaiboth,Malayschwa
majorityoftheAAlanguageshaveboth,againexceptMunda,somediversityinthenorthernbranchesandinBahnaric
areallyonlyminormismatchesbetweenAAandneighboringlanguages
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Vowelphona2ontypes two‐registerdis*nc*onverycommoninAAlanguages
dooccurelsewhereintheworld(e.g.someOtomanguean,some“Khoisan”,Gujara*)butnotfrequently
Munda:generallynoregisters
Khmer:recentlylosttheregisterdis*nc*ons
Aslian:uncommon,butpresentinMahMeri
morecomplexsystems(cf.Thongkum1988):
Didra:3registers:creaky,modal,breathy Chong:4registers:modal,modal‐creaky,breathy,breathy‐creaky
registerdis*nc*onswithouttonedis*nc*onsareclearlyafamilyfeature,generallynotadoptedinlanguagesofotherfamiliesinMSEA
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Tones fairlycommonworldwide,verycommoninMSEAbutrareelsewherein
Eurasia
onlyinaminorityofAAlanguages,butnotthatrare;examples:
Munda:Korku2(cf.neighoringSouthAsianlgs:notonaldis*nc*ons)
Khasic:Khasinone,Amwi4 Palaungic:Danau3,Riang2,Shwe3,P‘uman2,Wa4(cf.Burmese:4)
Khmuic:NKhmu‘2,Mal2(cf.Thai:5)
Vie*c:Thavung4,Vietnamese6(cf.otherlanguagesofNVietnamandSChina:complextonesystems)
Aslian:Jahai2?
mostAAarenon‐tonal,althoughtheneighboringTibeto‐Burman,Tai‐KadaiandHmong‐Mienlanguagesaretonal
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Maximalsyllablestructure Munda:generallyCVClesscomplexthanIndo‐Aryan(CCVCC) Khasic:CCVC
Palaungic:oyenCCCVCmorecomplexthanBurmese(CGVʔ)
Khmuic:NKhmu‘CCVC,MalCCCVCC(cf.Thai/LaoCCVC)
Vie*c:ThavungCVC,VietnameseCVC(C)
Katuic:BruuCCVCN,KuyCCCVC,PacohCCVC
Bahnaric:Chrau,SreCCCVC,CCCVCC,EMnongCCVC,LovenCCVC,JehCCVC,HalangCCVC,SedangCCVC
KhmerCCCVC
Aslian:e.g.JahHutCCVC(cf.Malay(C)CVC)
Nicobarese:CNicobareseCVC
arealmismatchesesp.inthecasesofMundaandPalaungic
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Prosodicwordstructure mostlanguagesofMSEAhaveaiambicstresspa>ern(cf.Brunelle&
Pi>ayapornforthcoming)
mostfrequentwordtypesinMSEA:disyllabic>sesquisyllabic>monosyllabic(“>”=diachronicdevelopment)
sesquisyllabicityveryprominentinMon‐Khmer
monosyllabicityfairlyrare(foundinonly9outof235AAlanguagesintheMon‐KhmerEtymologicalDic*onarydatabase(Sidwell&Cooper2007‐12)accordingtoBrunelle&Pi>ayapornfc),althoughMKlanguagesareinclosecontactwithdominantmonosyllabiclanguages
Munda:mostlytrochaic,asotherSouthAsianlanguages
trochaicstresspa>ernmorecommoninAustronesian;notableexcep*ons:Chamic,Acehnese
arealmismatchesinthecaseofMSEA,languagecontactmightaccountfortheMundaandChamiccases
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Results Fairlyhomogeneousarealpa>ernscanbefoundforsomeproper*es(e.g.
word‐ini*alvelarnasal,broadlyvowelinventorysize)
ButinmanycasestherearemismatchesbetweenAAandneighboringnon‐AAlanguages
…andalsoalotofdiversityevenwithinlow‐levelgenealogicalgroupsofAA
Languagecontactcannotaccountforthisdiversity
AlthoughWALS‐likeprojectsarecrucialfortoday’s(areal)typology,their(oyenfairlybroadlydefined)valuesoyencannotaccountforfiner‐graineddis*nc*onsinsmallerareas
Language‐specific(and,insomecases,evenfamily‐specific)internaldiachronicdevelopmentsmightofferbe>erexplana*onsforthosecases
