LINGUIST List 14.425

Wed Feb 12 2003

Books: Phonology: Shahin

Editor for this issue: Marisa Ferrara <marisalinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. paul, Postvelar Harmony: Shahin

			
Title: Postvelar Harmony
			
Publication Year: 2003
Publisher: John Benjamins 
 http://www.benjamins.com/, http://www.benjamins.nl		 
			
Author: Kimary N. Shahin

Hardback: ISBN: 1588112217, Pages: viii, 344 pp., Price: USD 99.00
Hardback: ISBN: 9027247331, Pages: viii, 344 pp., Price: EUR 99.00
			
Abstract:

This book examines the formal bases of postvelar harmony and its
crosslinguistic variation. It is of interest especially to
phonologists concerned with segmental harmony and its explanation
within Optimality Theory. Postvelar harmony in two unrelated
languages, Palestinian Arabic and St'�t'imcets Salish, is examined in
detail. The result is the first comprehensive clarification of
postvelar phonology for either language. Two harmonies are
distinguished: uvularisation harmony ('emphasis spread') and
pharyngealisation (tongue-root-retraction) harmony. The distinction
between these two in the Arabic and the Salish is supported by much
instrumental phonetics data. The complex harmony properties are
explained as the result of systematic interaction between
Correspondence, Alignment and Grounded constraints. In the course of
the investigation, the segmental inventories of both languages are
clarified, and a careful understanding of the distinction between
phonology and phonetics, and the use of phonetics in phonology, is
applied.

Lingfield(s): Phonology
			 
Subject Language(s): Palestinian Arabic
		 St'�t'imcets Salish
 
Written In: English (Language Code: ENG)