LINGUIST List 12.3182

Sun Dec 23 2001

Books: Australian Linguistics

Editor for this issue: Karen Milligan <karenlinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. LINCOM EUROPA, A Study of the Phonetics and Phonology of Yaraldi & Associated Dialects by Marylyce McDonald

A Study of the Phonetics and Phonology of Yaraldi and Associated
dialects
Marylyce McDonald

Yaraldi is one of a group of languages spoken by the people located at
the mouth of the Murray River in South Australia. At the time of this
study, information on these languages was very scarce,. They were known
to be closely related, and to differ from the languages around them, but
there were no living speakers of the language.

Early grammars provided the main information for the study - principally
the grammar published in 1843 by Rev. H.A.E. Meyer. Basic phonetic data
was obtained from tape recordings and field notes provided primarily by
Dr. Louise Hercus, who interviewed the last speakers of the language in
the 1960's. Spectrographic analysis of these tapes was carried out to
establish detailed phonetic information. Field work undertaken at the
conclusion of the study elicited a number of vocabulary items that
largely confirm the conclusions of the analysis. 

Yaraldi has a rich consonantal system, featuring six different places of
articulation for stops and nasals, and four for laterals. There are two
rhotics, no fricatives or sibilants, and there is no voicing contrast. 
Most Australian languages have three vowels, but a five-vowel system is
postulated for Yaraldi. Phonological processes are postulated to
account for the occurrence of initial consonant clusters, a feature
unusual in Australian languages. Finally, a lexicon is presented, with
entries in both phonemic and phonetic form, to serve as a basis for
further work on the language. 

Ed. by RMW Dixon

ISBN 3 89586 410 2.
LINCOM Studies in Australian Languages 06.
Ca. 140pp. USD 40 / EUR 42 / � 27.


New: A Students' and course discount of 40% is offered to the above
title. 

Ordering information for individuals: Please give us your creditcard no.
/ expiry date. Prices in this information include shipment worldwide by
airmail. A standing order for this series is available with special
discounts offered to individual subscribers.

NEW: LINCOM electronic n.e.w.s.l.e.t.t.e.r. Monthly up-dates. 
Go to http://www.lincom-europa.com

A Students' and course discount of 40% is offered to the above title. 

Free copies of LINCOM'S newsflashes 26 & 27 are now available from 
LINCOM.EUROPAt-online.de.

LINCOM EUROPA, Freibadstr. 3, D-81543 Muenchen, Germany;
FAX +49 89 62269404;
http://www.lincom-europa.com
LINCOM.EUROPAt-online.de.