Phoneme hole: Difference between revisions
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A '''phoneme hole''' is a feature of a language's [[phonology]], where an 'expected' phoneme does not occur. What counts as 'expected' is debatable, but at a pinch, a language would be expected to cover as many combinations of [[place of articulation]] and [[manner of articulation]] as possible. | A '''phoneme hole''' is a feature of a language's [[phonology]], where an 'expected' phoneme does not occur. What counts as 'expected' is debatable, but at a pinch, a language would be expected to cover as many combinations of its allowed [[place of articulation]] and [[manner of articulation]] as possible. | ||
An example of a consonant inventory without holes might be: | An example of a consonant inventory without holes might be: | ||
| Line 23: | Line 23: | ||
| b || || ɖ || | | b || || ɖ || | ||
|- | |- | ||
| f || s || | | f || s || || x | ||
|- | |- | ||
| m || n || ɳ | | m || n || ɳ | ||
| Line 29: | Line 29: | ||
| ʋ || || ɭ || ɣ | | ʋ || || ɭ || ɣ | ||
|} | |} | ||
The 6 'missing' phonemes would be **/p, d, g, ʂ, ŋ, l/. | |||
==History== | |||
Phoneme holes may arise in at least three basic ways: | |||
*A previous phoneme has [[Sound change|changed]] into another sound, leaving its place vacant. In example II, possibly *p → f. | |||
*A phoneme class has arisen in a way that does not allow all possible combinations to arise (perhaps reproducing a hole in another part of the phonology). In example II, possibly *ʋ, *ɭ → b, ɖ under certain conditions; since no alveolar (lateral) approximant **l exists, no **d will exist either. | |||
*A hole has persisted as long as a language's history is traceable. In example II, possibly no **ŋ ever existed. | |||
=="Wide" phonemes== | |||
A separate phenomenon from phoneme holes is a lack of ''distinction'' between certain POA/MOA combinations. A phoneme of this type may be realized intermediate to, or varying between the 'expected' values. In example II, possibly /ɣ/ has an [[allophone]] [g] under certain conditions, which would mean that the /g/ slot is not truly vacant. | |||
Typical examples: | |||
* The open vowel /a/ is in most languages not subject to the front/back contrast distinguishing /i/ and /u/, or /e/ and /o/. Its realization in any individual language may vary from front [a] to central [ä] to back [ɑ]. | |||
* The [[labial-velar approximant]] /w/ in most languages contrasts neither with a [[bilabial approximant]] nor a [[velar approximant]]. In many cases, a more economic analysis than considering it a language's only consonant at the labiovelar place of articulation, is to consider it as simultaneously occypying the labial ''and'' the velar POAs. | |||
==Common one-phoneme holes== | ==Common one-phoneme holes== | ||
* Implosives: lack of the | * Implosives: lack of the velar implosive /ɠ/ | ||
* Nasals: lack of the [[velar nasal]] /ŋ/ | * Nasals: lack of the [[velar nasal]] /ŋ/ or the [[palatal nasal]] /ɲ/ (occasionally both) | ||
* Stops: lack of the [[voiced velar stop]] /g/ (commonly due to [[lenition]]) | * Stops: lack of the [[voiced velar stop]] /g/ (commonly due to [[lenition]]) | ||
* Stops: lack of the [[voiceless bilabial stop]] /p/ (commonly due to a shift to /ɸ/ → /f/ or /h/) | * Stops: lack of the [[voiceless bilabial stop]] /p/ (commonly due to a shift to /ɸ/ → /f/ or /h/) | ||
Revision as of 07:46, 3 November 2011
A phoneme hole is a feature of a language's phonology, where an 'expected' phoneme does not occur. What counts as 'expected' is debatable, but at a pinch, a language would be expected to cover as many combinations of its allowed place of articulation and manner of articulation as possible.
An example of a consonant inventory without holes might be:
| p | t | k |
| b | d | g |
| f | s | x |
| v | z | ɣ |
| m | n | ŋ |
while one with several holes might be:
| t | ʈ | k | |
| b | ɖ | ||
| f | s | x | |
| m | n | ɳ | |
| ʋ | ɭ | ɣ |
The 6 'missing' phonemes would be **/p, d, g, ʂ, ŋ, l/.
History
Phoneme holes may arise in at least three basic ways:
- A previous phoneme has changed into another sound, leaving its place vacant. In example II, possibly *p → f.
- A phoneme class has arisen in a way that does not allow all possible combinations to arise (perhaps reproducing a hole in another part of the phonology). In example II, possibly *ʋ, *ɭ → b, ɖ under certain conditions; since no alveolar (lateral) approximant **l exists, no **d will exist either.
- A hole has persisted as long as a language's history is traceable. In example II, possibly no **ŋ ever existed.
"Wide" phonemes
A separate phenomenon from phoneme holes is a lack of distinction between certain POA/MOA combinations. A phoneme of this type may be realized intermediate to, or varying between the 'expected' values. In example II, possibly /ɣ/ has an allophone [g] under certain conditions, which would mean that the /g/ slot is not truly vacant.
Typical examples:
- The open vowel /a/ is in most languages not subject to the front/back contrast distinguishing /i/ and /u/, or /e/ and /o/. Its realization in any individual language may vary from front [a] to central [ä] to back [ɑ].
- The labial-velar approximant /w/ in most languages contrasts neither with a bilabial approximant nor a velar approximant. In many cases, a more economic analysis than considering it a language's only consonant at the labiovelar place of articulation, is to consider it as simultaneously occypying the labial and the velar POAs.
Common one-phoneme holes
- Implosives: lack of the velar implosive /ɠ/
- Nasals: lack of the velar nasal /ŋ/ or the palatal nasal /ɲ/ (occasionally both)
- Stops: lack of the voiced velar stop /g/ (commonly due to lenition)
- Stops: lack of the voiceless bilabial stop /p/ (commonly due to a shift to /ɸ/ → /f/ or /h/)
Impossible phonemes
Certain POA/MOA combinations are necessarily lacking from human languages due to articulatory constraints. These include, among others:
- Labial laterals
- Glottal nasals
- Voiced glottal stop
