8 Comparing and deconstructing speech rhythm across Romance languages
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Elinor Payne
Abstract
This chapter provides an overview of speech rhythm research across Romance languages and dialects, and discusses, for these varieties, an array of phonetic, segmental phonological and prosodic properties thought to give rise to differences in the rhythm percept. The comparative approach allows for a consideration of the relative similarity or divergence of critical phonological and prosodic structures between closely related varieties, and how these might impact on perceived rhythm. The difficulties in pinning rhythm down are discussed in a background overview of speech rhythm research, and a multi-systemic, multi-parametric approach is advocated. The frequent presentation of Romance languages as prototypically ‘ syllable-timed’ is also scrutinized, particularly in light of the considerable variation across Romance varieties.
Abstract
This chapter provides an overview of speech rhythm research across Romance languages and dialects, and discusses, for these varieties, an array of phonetic, segmental phonological and prosodic properties thought to give rise to differences in the rhythm percept. The comparative approach allows for a consideration of the relative similarity or divergence of critical phonological and prosodic structures between closely related varieties, and how these might impact on perceived rhythm. The difficulties in pinning rhythm down are discussed in a background overview of speech rhythm research, and a multi-systemic, multi-parametric approach is advocated. The frequent presentation of Romance languages as prototypically ‘ syllable-timed’ is also scrutinized, particularly in light of the considerable variation across Romance varieties.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Manuals of Romance Linguistics V
- Acknowledgments VII
- Table of contents IX
- List of abbreviations XIII
- Romance phonetics and phonology: an introduction 1
-
I. Key topics in Romance phonology
- 1 Length and weight in Romance 31
- 2 Syllable structure and (re)syllabification 89
- 3 Processes affecting vowels 127
- 4 From vowel weakening in Romance to French schwa 150
- 5 Palatalization in Romance 173
- 6 Nasals and nasalization 215
- 7 The evolution of Latin stress into Romance with special consideration of French 242
- 8 Comparing and deconstructing speech rhythm across Romance languages 264
- 9 Intonation 299
- 10 Corpus phonology 319
- 11 Sociophonetics 342
- 12 First language acquisition of Romance phonology 375
- 13 Bilingual phonological acquisition 407
- 14 Second and third language acquisition of Romance phonology 435
- 15 The phonology of Romance contact varieties 462
- 16 Loanword phonology in Romance 503
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II. Phonetics and phonology of Romance languages
- 17 Romanian 531
- 18 Italian 559
- 19 Sardinian 597
- 20 Rhaeto-Romance: Friulian, Ladin, and Romansh 628
- 21 French 669
- 22 Occitan 709
- 23 Catalan 743
- 24 Spanish 779
- 25 Judeo-Spanish 808
- 26 Portuguese 839
- 27 Galician 882
- 28 Romance-lexifier creoles 929
- List of contributors 955
- Index 957
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Manuals of Romance Linguistics V
- Acknowledgments VII
- Table of contents IX
- List of abbreviations XIII
- Romance phonetics and phonology: an introduction 1
-
I. Key topics in Romance phonology
- 1 Length and weight in Romance 31
- 2 Syllable structure and (re)syllabification 89
- 3 Processes affecting vowels 127
- 4 From vowel weakening in Romance to French schwa 150
- 5 Palatalization in Romance 173
- 6 Nasals and nasalization 215
- 7 The evolution of Latin stress into Romance with special consideration of French 242
- 8 Comparing and deconstructing speech rhythm across Romance languages 264
- 9 Intonation 299
- 10 Corpus phonology 319
- 11 Sociophonetics 342
- 12 First language acquisition of Romance phonology 375
- 13 Bilingual phonological acquisition 407
- 14 Second and third language acquisition of Romance phonology 435
- 15 The phonology of Romance contact varieties 462
- 16 Loanword phonology in Romance 503
-
II. Phonetics and phonology of Romance languages
- 17 Romanian 531
- 18 Italian 559
- 19 Sardinian 597
- 20 Rhaeto-Romance: Friulian, Ladin, and Romansh 628
- 21 French 669
- 22 Occitan 709
- 23 Catalan 743
- 24 Spanish 779
- 25 Judeo-Spanish 808
- 26 Portuguese 839
- 27 Galician 882
- 28 Romance-lexifier creoles 929
- List of contributors 955
- Index 957
