The Phonetics and Phonology of Contrast - The Case of the Romanian Vowel System

This book proposes that phonological contrast, in particular the robustness of a phonemic contrast, does not depend solely on the presence of minimal pairs, but is instead affected by a set of phonetic, usage-based, and systemic factors. This perspective opens phonology to a more direct interpretation through phonetic analysis, undertaken in a series of case studies on the Romanian vowel system. Both the synchronic phonetics and morpho-phonological alternations are studied, to understand the forces that have historically shaped and now maintain the phonemic system of Romanian. A corpus study of phoneme type frequency in Romanian reveals marginal contrasts among vowels, in which a sharp distinction between allophones and phonemes fails to capture relationships among sounds. An investigation of Romanian / / provides insight into the historical roots of marginal contrast, and a large acoustic study of Romanian vowels and diphthongs is a backdrop for evaluating the phonetic and perceptual realization of marginal contrast. The results provide impetus for a model in which phonology, phonetics, morphology and perception interact in a multidimensional way.

About the author

Margaret E. L. Renwick, University of Georgia, USA.

Product details

• Authors: Margaret E L Renwick, Margaret E. L. Renwick
• Publisher: De Gruyter
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.01.2014
• EAN: 9783110362152
• ISBN: 978-3-11-036215-2
• No. of pages: 201
• Dimensions: 159 mm x 12 mm x 234 mm
• Weight: 430 g
• Series: Phonology and Phonetics; Phonology and Phonetics [PP]; Phonology and Phonetics; Phonology and Phonetics [PP]; ISSN
• Subject: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative linguistics