LINGUIST List 11.8

Tue Jan 11 2000

Sum: Q:10.1720: Phonetics/Ejectives/Laryngealization

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  • Johannes Reese, Summary for 10.1720: creaky/stiff voice/laryngealised vs. ejectives

    Message 1: Summary for 10.1720: creaky/stiff voice/laryngealised vs. ejectives

     Date: Fri, 04 Jan 1980 15:41:34 +0100
    From: Johannes Reese <reesejuni-muenster.de>
    Subject: Summary for 10.1720: creaky/stiff voice/laryngealised vs. ejectives


    Thanks to:

    "Kimary Shahin" <knshahinhotmail.com> Michael Jessen <jessenims.uni-stuttgart.de> "Mailbox" <peter.menzelfnac.net> "mark jones" <markjjoneshotmail.com> John Davis <davisusdoj.gov> Nick Reid <nreidmetz.une.edu.au> Natasha Warner <Natasha.Warnermpi.nl> "Roy Dace" <daceMTB.und.ac.za> Mike Maxwell <mike_maxwellsil.org> Ronald Cosper <Ronald.CosperSTMARYS.CA>

    Some of the contributors pointed me to Ladefoged's book "The sounds of the world's languages; unfortunately, it was this that made me wonder about the resemblance of laryngealized sounds and ejectives. They seem to be, though, phonetically totally different. Some of those who answered argued that phonologically, the difference is indeed irrelevant, as both features never co-occur in the same language (Jessen's description: [+constricted glottis, -voice] or [+checked, -voiced] in Jacobsonian terms). Unlike ejectives, laryngealized consonants may be voiced.

    Shahin, Jones, and Reid emphasize the articulatory nature of the laryngeally modified consonants being different from ejectives "in that the former have a different airstream mechanism from that of the latter: ejectives are by definition glottalic egressive (with glottalic egressive airstream mechanism, that is, with outward/upward airflow where the body of air being moved is that in the pharynx); the other segments can be assumed to be pulmonic egressive (the sound is produced with (powered by) outward/upward airflow where the body of air being moved is that in the lungs)" (Shahin). "The mechanism that gets ejective airflow going, involves trapping air between the closed vocal folds, closed velum, and stop closure somewhere in the oral cavity. Reducing the volume of this trapped air, by bobbing the larynx upwards, increases the air pressure and on release of the stop closure air flows out to equalise with atmospheric air. In contrast, laryngealized/creaky/stiff voice is a quality achieved by particular settings of the vocal folds (and associated structures) using normal pulmonary airflow." (Reid) "This means that creaky and stiff voice etc. are sub-categories of (or perhaps parallel to) modal voice. Ejectives, on the other hand, are formed by the closed larynx rising to increase air pressure behind the occlusion. This airstream mechanism, the laryngeal or glottalic airstream, is thus very different and cannot itself be mofified by any laryngeal activity." (Jones) This explains why laryngealized consonants may be voiced, whereas ejectives cannot.

    Jessen speaks of the "distinct bursts" of ejectives, "[which] are quite loud (strong burst amplitude) and are often isolated from the following vowel through a long Voice Onset Time, esp. in North American Indian languages, such as Navaho. Korean 'fortis' stops, on the other hand, do not have particularly striking bursts. What is most characteristic about them are the abrupt vowel onsets... (stiff voice). In ejectives, on the other hand, voice quality changes seem to be more variable."

    He adds that glottal release may be realized by creaky voice. The main function of the glottal release in ejectives seems to be the higher pressure for a louder release of the consonant. The vowel onset is later with ejectives. Laryngealized consonants have glottal stop at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of the consonant. Implosives are often subsumed under the notion of laryngealized consonants.

    Menzel characterizes ejectives as a "voiceless stop-type closure at *two* places, always including the glottis. Creaky voice, on the other hand, are a voiced phenomenon, produced using a special kind of vibration of the glottis... Creaky voice seems a kind of "slowing down" of the vibration of the vocal cords. Now, voiced stops have hardly any vibration because there is no time for it and fricatives must create enough friction to be recognizable as such, so you don't get the creaky voice effect with consonant, only with vowels, liquids, and nasals.

    Davis seems to be a very experienced researchers and hinted me to the history of the glottalization discussion of the late Sixties/early Seventies, which covered my question, too. He quotes an area in Africa, where, interesting at least if we view areal typology, nearby languages have either laryngealized or ejectives consonants. Besides, he told me about gender variations in American languages, the women of which had ejectives, the men of which produced a "partial glottal closure", with the result of voiced consonants (non-existent in women's speech).

    According to Warner, ejectives involve creaky voicing at the beginning of the following vowel in some languages. She prefers the term "creaky voice" over the others.

    Dace opposes the glottal closure of the ejectives to the glottal vibration of the creaky voice.

    Ronald Cosper describes the difference as follows: "Ejectives involve total glottal closure, and the stopage occurs orally. Creaky voice involves a partial opening of the glottis, with a diminished voicing."

    Peter Menzel reminds of the real counterpart of ejectives, which are the implosives.