LINGUIST List 15.2371

Tue Aug 24 2004

Diss: Phonetics: Adisasmito-Smith: 'Phonetic...'

Editor for this issue: Takako Matsui <takolinguistlist.org>

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  • adisasmito_smith, Phonetic and phonological influences of Javanese on Indonesian

    Message 1: Phonetic and phonological influences of Javanese on Indonesian

     Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 02:32:32 -0400 (EDT)
    From: adisasmito_smith <adisasmito_smithyahoo.com>
    Subject: Phonetic and phonological influences of Javanese on Indonesian


    Institution: Cornell University Program: Department of Linguistics Dissertation Status: Completed Degree Date: 2004

    Author: Niken Adisasmito-Smith

    Dissertation Title: Phonetic and phonological influences of Javanese on Indonesian

    Linguistic Field: Phonetics, Phonology

    Subject Language: Indonesian (code: INZ), Javanese (code: JAN)

    Dissertation Director 1: Abigail C Cohn Dissertation Director 2: Amanda Miller-Ockhuizen Dissertation Director 3: John U Wolff Dissertation Director 4: Draga Zec

    Dissertation Abstract:

    This dissertation addresses effects of sound structure on language contact. In particular, this study focuses on the influence of one language on another at both the phonological and phonetic levels. In cases of language contact, it is highly likely for the bilingual speakers to realize certain linguistic features of one language on the other. Such transfer is expected at all levels, including the sound system. This issue is very important in Indonesia where the vast majority of the population is at least bilingual. In this study, the interaction between Indonesian and Javanese is used as a test case, focusing on the phonetic realization of Javanese phonological patterning on Indonesian.

    To investigate these issues, I address three aspects of Indonesian where differences might be predicted between the Indonesian of the monolinguals as compared to that of the bilingual Indonesian/Javanese speakers: (1) vowel tense/lax alternation, (2) voice quality of stops, and (3) the syllabification of nasal + stop (NC) clusters. In Javanese, high and mid vowels are impressionistically tense in final CV syllables and lax in final CVC syllables; in Indonesian, mid vowels are tense in final CVs and lax in final CVCs. Javanese stops are either breathy or clear, while in Indonesian they are either voiced or voiceless. Based on vowel tense/lax alternation in Javanese, governed by syllable structure, root-medial NC clusters are tautosyllabic, and in Indonesian, they are claimed to be heterosyllabic. If Indonesian bears the influence of Javanese, we would see the realization of Javanese patterning in the Indonesian of the bilinguals.

    The acoustic results for two of the three linguistic variables examined show support for the observation that the influence of Javanese manifests itself in the Indonesian of the bilingual Javanese speakers: the tense/lax alternation of high vowels and the breathy/clear contrast of stops in Javanese are realized in the Indonesian of the bilinguals. Additionally, these results highlight the importance of parallel systematic phonological investigation and instrumental phonetics, which together can shed light on the ways that languages in contact influence each other through their sound systems.