Patterns of lexical diffusion and articulatory motivation for sound change
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Joan L. Bybee
Abstract
Patterns of lexical diffusion can serve as important diagnostics for the source of sound change. The most common lexical diffusion pattern for sound change is from high frequency words to low frequency words. This pattern is consistent with an articulatory source for change, as compared to a perceptual source. As perception must also play an important role in change, a model that includes the interaction of articulatory and perceptual change is proposed. Another set of changes that are unlikely to have an articulatory source are discussed and their properties are compared to those with articulatory motivation.
Abstract
Patterns of lexical diffusion can serve as important diagnostics for the source of sound change. The most common lexical diffusion pattern for sound change is from high frequency words to low frequency words. This pattern is consistent with an articulatory source for change, as compared to a perceptual source. As perception must also play an important role in change, a model that includes the interaction of articulatory and perceptual change is proposed. Another set of changes that are unlikely to have an articulatory source are discussed and their properties are compared to those with articulatory motivation.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword and acknowledgements vii
- List of contributors and discussion participants ix
- Editors’ introduction 1
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Part I. Perception
- The listener as a source of sound change 21
- Perception grammars and sound change 37
- A phonetic interpretation of the sound changes affecting dark /l/ in Romance 57
- The production and perception of sub-phonemic vowel contrasts and the role of the listener in sound change 77
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Part II. Production
- The coarticulatory basis of diachronic high back vowel fronting 103
- Natural and unnatural patterns of sound change? 123
- The gaits of speech 147
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Part III. Social factors, structural factors and the typology of change
- Prosodic skewing of input and the initiation of cross-generational sound change 167
- Social and personality variables in compensation for altered auditory feedback 185
- Patterns of lexical diffusion and articulatory motivation for sound change 211
- Foundational concepts in the scientific study of sound change 235
- Index of subjects and terms 247
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword and acknowledgements vii
- List of contributors and discussion participants ix
- Editors’ introduction 1
-
Part I. Perception
- The listener as a source of sound change 21
- Perception grammars and sound change 37
- A phonetic interpretation of the sound changes affecting dark /l/ in Romance 57
- The production and perception of sub-phonemic vowel contrasts and the role of the listener in sound change 77
-
Part II. Production
- The coarticulatory basis of diachronic high back vowel fronting 103
- Natural and unnatural patterns of sound change? 123
- The gaits of speech 147
-
Part III. Social factors, structural factors and the typology of change
- Prosodic skewing of input and the initiation of cross-generational sound change 167
- Social and personality variables in compensation for altered auditory feedback 185
- Patterns of lexical diffusion and articulatory motivation for sound change 211
- Foundational concepts in the scientific study of sound change 235
- Index of subjects and terms 247
