Final -m in Yucatan Spanish
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Jim Michnowicz
Abstract
Previous studies report that final nasals often labialize to [m] in Yucatan Spanish. The present study details a rapid and anonymous survey undertaken to explore the change [n] > [m] in this dialect. The researcher walked along Avenida Coln in Merida, Mexico, and asked passers-by the name of the street. He then asked them to repeat the name, indicating that he did not understand. The first instance was taken to represent normal speech, the second, careful speech. Results showed a strong preference for final [m], which accounted for 74% of the tokens of Coln. This frequency is much higher than that found previously, suggesting that [m] may be partially lexicalized. In Coln, [m] appeared more often in normal speech, and was produced more frequently by men, contra other studies. Reasons for the gender discrepancy with earlier studies, along with further conclusions, including the role of contact with Mayan, are discussed.
Abstract
Previous studies report that final nasals often labialize to [m] in Yucatan Spanish. The present study details a rapid and anonymous survey undertaken to explore the change [n] > [m] in this dialect. The researcher walked along Avenida Coln in Merida, Mexico, and asked passers-by the name of the street. He then asked them to repeat the name, indicating that he did not understand. The first instance was taken to represent normal speech, the second, careful speech. Results showed a strong preference for final [m], which accounted for 74% of the tokens of Coln. This frequency is much higher than that found previously, suggesting that [m] may be partially lexicalized. In Coln, [m] appeared more often in normal speech, and was produced more frequently by men, contra other studies. Reasons for the gender discrepancy with earlier studies, along with further conclusions, including the role of contact with Mayan, are discussed.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction vii
- An Acoustic Basis for Palatal Geminate Behavior in Spanish 1
- Mapping the Patterns of Maintenance versus Merger in Bilingual Phonology 15
- New Tendencies in Geographical Dialectology 31
- Output-to-output Correspondence and the Emergence of the Unmarked in Spanish Plural Formation 49
- Mapping French Pronunciation 65
- Phonological Variability in the Laboratory 83
- Constraint Re-ranking in Three Grammars 97
- Mid Vowels and Schwa in Eastern Catalan 113
- The Nominal Stress System of Romanian (re)revisited 127
- Proto-Romance Stress Shift Revisited 141
- Final -m in Yucatan Spanish 155
- Stressed Enclitics? 167
- How To Do Things Without Junk 183
- Subject Index 207
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction vii
- An Acoustic Basis for Palatal Geminate Behavior in Spanish 1
- Mapping the Patterns of Maintenance versus Merger in Bilingual Phonology 15
- New Tendencies in Geographical Dialectology 31
- Output-to-output Correspondence and the Emergence of the Unmarked in Spanish Plural Formation 49
- Mapping French Pronunciation 65
- Phonological Variability in the Laboratory 83
- Constraint Re-ranking in Three Grammars 97
- Mid Vowels and Schwa in Eastern Catalan 113
- The Nominal Stress System of Romanian (re)revisited 127
- Proto-Romance Stress Shift Revisited 141
- Final -m in Yucatan Spanish 155
- Stressed Enclitics? 167
- How To Do Things Without Junk 183
- Subject Index 207
