An Outline of the Structure of Shilah

1.12

CHAPTER I
PHONOLOGY

1.0 Introduction

The phonemes to be discussed in this section are: /t k b d g I s §
252xifhh*xnnlriau*:+-| \/A In addition to these pho-
nemes, the element # (see 1.6) is included in this section because of
its influence on certain phonological processes,

1 . 1 Consonants — j

1.11 /t/ includes the "following sound types:

[t"] released and slightly aspirated occurs in the environments
/+tV/, /+t-V/, and /t+/. An example of this is found in the word
[t^ibhaert^] *garden\

[t], released but unaspirated, occurs in /VtV/, /CtV/, /tC/, /VtCA
and /etc/, e.g., [aetbir] *pigeon', [aetvrdin] *back', [its] *sleep'.
It should be noted that the consonant in the last three environ-
ments may not be a nasal. ^

[t'], unreleased, occurs before nasals: e.g., [nt''nti] *they'. This
allophone may also occur as an alternant of [t] before other
consonants in long sequences of rapid speech,

[t], domal or emphatic, occurs with /*/, When it occurs before
/*4-/, it is unreleased. In other environnients, however, it is
released. This is the only allophone of /t/ that may occur in
the environments /t*/ or /tVC*/.

[t^], a fortis allophone, occurs with /:/ in /t:/, /tC:/, or /tV:/.
When the sequence is /V'^Ct:4/, the aspiration is increased.^

1.12 /k/ includes the following sotind types:

[k^], released and slightly aspirated, occurs initially before /a/

and before /+/, e.g., [k^aenun] ^fireplace',
[k], released but unaspirated, occurs in /Vka/.
[k^] is slightly aspirated and palatalized. It occurs before /i/,

e.g., [k^inii] *you*.

iThe methods used in phonemic analysis are those described in
Z. S, Harris's Methods in Structural Linguistics, pages 25-125. Cer-
tain typographical conventions are followed. Phonenaes and phonetnic
transcriptions are placed between diagonal lines / /; allophones and
phonetic transcriptions are enclosed in square brackets [ ]; the sym-
bol ~ means '^or". V = any vowel; C =^ any consonant. Translations are
enclosed in single quotation marks.

For additional data on consonantal release, see Appendix to Chap. I.
Additional data is fotind in section 1.24 and the Appendix to Chap. I.

1.1^

[k } differs from the preceding allophones because of the labial-
ized release. It occurs before /u/. It may vary freely, how-
ever, with [k"] and [k],

[k], emphatic, occurs with /*/. When it occurs before /u/, there
may be a labialized release,

1.13 /b/ has few allophones. In borrowed words it occurs as a
substitute for an original [p], e.g., /babor/ from Spanish vapor *ship*.

[b] voiced, bilabial, released stop occurs before vowels and

voiced consonants. Before /+/ it may occur unreleased, e.g.,

[kadub] nies'. _^ ,.

[by]^], partially voiceless, occurs before voiceless consonants,

e.g., [iduby|t"] *it nxelted'. It istiso occurs in /sbV/.
[b] occurs in the same environments as those given for the other

fortis consonants.

1.14 /d/, like /b/, has few allophones.

[d], released, occurs before vowels and voiced consonants.

Before /+/ it occurs as a free variant of [d"*]. It should be

noted that it does not occur before nasals,
[d ], unreleased, occurs before nasals and before hi. In the

latter position it may vary with [d].
[d], domal, emphatic, occurs with /*/ or in /dV*/ or /dVC*/.
[d] occurs with /:/ in the same environnients as those given for

other fortis consonants.

1.15 /g/ does not occur frequently,

[g]# released, occurs before vowels, consonants, or /+/.

[g^] has a slightly labialized release. It occurs before /u/, but
it seems to vary freely with [g] in this position.

[g] the occurrence of this allophone is limited by the same condi-
tions as those that limit the occurrence of other fortis conso-
nants.

1.16 /f/. There are few restrictions on the occurrence of this pho-
neme. It occurs before vowels as well as before voiceless consonants
It does not occur before voiced consonants without the introduction of
[®] (1.72) or /-/ (1.42). In /flV/ or /frV/, it may occur as [f^], or there
may be a transposition of the vowel so that /i-frah/ *he enjoyed' often
occurs as /i-farh/.

^The description of the vocalic allophones (1-2) makes it possible
to simplify the description of consonants with palatalized or labialized
release. Because these allophones occur only before /i/ or /u/ respec-
tively, and because /i/ and /u/ are known to consist of two components:
vocalic and semi -consonantal, sequences in which the palatalized or
labialized release occurs can be treated as sequences of I Oil or /Cu/.

[k ] differs from the preceding allophones because of the labial-
ized release. It occurs before /u/. It may vary freely, how-
ever, with [k^] and [k],

[k], emphatic, occurs with /*/. When it occurs before /u/, there
naay be a labialized release.

1.13 /b/ has few allophones. In borrowed words it occurs as a
substitute for an original [p], e.g., /babor/ from Spanish vapor * ship*.

[b] voiced, bilabial, released stop occurs before vowels and

voiced consonants. Before /+/ it nnay occur unreleased, e.g.,

[ksdub] nies'. ^ _./

[by]^], partially voiceless, occurs before voiceless consonants,

e.g., [iduby^t^] *it mielted'. It also occurs in /sbV/.
[b] occurs in the same environments as those given for the other

fortis consonants.

1.14 /d/, like /b/, has few allophones.

[d], released, occurs before vowels and voiced consonants.

Before /+/ it occurs as a free variant of [d ]. It should be

noted that it does not occur before nasals,
[d ], unreleased, occurs before nasals and before /+/. In the

latter position it may vary with [d].
[d], domal, emphatic, occurs with /*/ or in /dV*/ or /dVC*/.
[dl occurs with /:/ in the same environments as those given for

other fortis consonants,

1.15 /g/ does not occur frequently.

[g], released, occurs before vowels, consonants, or /+/.

[g^J has a slightly labialized release. It occurs before /u/, but
it seems to vary freely with [g] in this position.

[g] the occurrence of this allophone is limited by the same condi-
tions as those that limit the occurrence of other fortis conso-
nant s .

1.16 /f/. There are few restrictions on the occurrence of this pho-
nenne. It occurs before vowels as well as before voiceless consonants..
It does not occur before voiced consonants without the introduction of I
[®] (1.72) or /./ (1.42), In /flV/ or /frV/, it may occur as [f^], or there \
may be a transposition of the vowel so that /i-frah/ *he enjoyed' often |
occurs as /i-farh/.

IXhe description of the vocalic allophones (1.2) makes it possible
to sinnplify the description of consonants with palatalized or labialized
release. Because these allophones occur only before /i/ or /u/ respec-
tively, and because /i/ and /u/ are known to consist of two components:
vocalic and semi -consonantal, sequences in which the palatalized or
labialized release occurs can be treated as sequences of /Ci/ or /Cu/.

1.115

1.17 /s/ includes the following sound types:

[s] occurs with /:/ as do the fortis consonants already described.

[s], like the sounds [t d k] occurs with /*/ in the environments
described for other emphatic consonants.

[s] is heard in environments other than those described above.
It should be noted that when it occurs before a voiced conso-
nant there is usually the introduction of [®] or /-/.

1.18 /5/ seems to occur freely and with few restrictions that can be
described here. It sho\ild be noted that like /s/ it occurs before voiced
consonants with the introduction of [®]. A fortis variant occurs in the
environments given "for- other consonants of this type.

1.19 /z/ occurs freely.

[z], domal, emphatic occurs with /*/ and in the environments

described for the other emphatic consonants.

[z] occurs with /:/.

"-■ >

1.110 /2/. There are few restrictions on the occurrence of this '^

phoneme. A variant, [%], occurs initially, and frequently in /n2+/.

1.111 /x/, a voiceless, palato-velar spirant, has the following posi-
tional variants:

[x^] with slightly palatalized release occurs before /i/.

[x^] occurs before /u/. The labial release is not so clear as in

[k^] or [g^]. Often the release is not detectable, so that this

sound appears to vary freely with [x].
[x] occurs before consonants (except voiced stops), before vowels,

and before /-f/.
[x] occurs with /:/.

1.112 f^/ is a voiced palato-velar spirant.
[ir^]» slightly palatalized, occurs before /i/.

[lt^] occurs before /u/. As in the case of [x^], the labialized
release may be dropped, so that the sound is heard siniply
as W.

[^] occurs in all environments except those just described.

1.113 /h/ does not occur frequently. It is found before vowels.
When it occurs after /•*•/, it is preceded by [®].

1.114 /^/, a voiceless palato -velar spirant, occurs with few restric-
tions. When it occurs before consonants, there is a vocalic release
sinailar to [®] but differing slightly because it is whispered.

1.115 /y» a voiced pharyngeal spirant, apparently occurs only when
preceded or followed by a vowel, i.e., in /+<V/, /V*V/, /C*V/, /V*C/, and

l.iiO

1.116 /%./ includes the following sound types:

[m] as a bilabial nasal occurs before vowels or before /4/ after
a vowel or m / vtno/ (provided the consonant that follows is
not a stop).

[m]. Syllabic, occurs in /+mC/ or /Cin+/.

[nr3?], unreleased occurs before stops.

[m^] occurs as a variant of [m] in /+niC/ or as a variant of /ni/.

1.117 /n/ as a dental nasal occurs in /+nV/, /VnSf/, IVhCl (except
where C = /k/ or /g/), / Vh-f/ and /r«4/.

[n], syllabic, occurs in /-fnC/4 /Cjx+/ and /CnC/: e.g., [nta] *he',

[nt'^nti] *they\ ' -;^-

[n^] with a short vocalic release^TJccurs as a variajit of [n] in

/+nC/: e.g., [nt'^nti] may occur as [n^t'^nti]
[13] occurs before /k/ or /g/: e.g., [igkr] *he arose^,

1.118 in occurs when preceded or followed by a vowel. '
[1] Syllabic occurs in /+1C/ or /Cl-f/.

[1®] with a short vocalic release alternates with [1],
[i], slightly backed, occurs with /*/. If preceded by a consonant,
it occurs as [i].

1.119 hi includes a variety of trills.

[r^] occurs in I+tYI. After /#/ it is preceded by a short glottal

stop.
[ti] occurs in /VrV/ or /VrC/ (provided the consonant is a stop)

and before /+/ when there is no drop in tone,
[x] occurs before fricatives and nasals- It also occurs before

/+/ when there is a drop in tone,
[r] syllabic occurs in /+rC/. The syllabic quality of this allophon-

is due to [®] which always occurs with it. This [^] sometimes^

seems to be whispered and may be overshadowed by the trill. ,
[r»] a domal trill occurs with /*/.

1.2 Vowels

1.21 111 includes a variety of sound types.

[ly] occurs in /+iV/ or /*fi-V/. It also occurs in /ViV/ or /CiV/.

In some cases the initial component is shortened, so that it

appears to vary freely with [y].
[i] occurs in /+iCV/, /Ci:/, /CiC:/, /Ci+A M-C/. It shoiild be

noted that the following consonant may not be /g-/, /x/, or Ihl.
[if] occurs as a variant of [i] in /-fi-C/.
[t] occurs in /CiC/ unless the second consonant is /g-/, /x/ or /h/,

or is followed by /*/. It also occurs before two consonants.
[*] occurs with /g/, /x/, /h/, and in /iC*/. It should be noted that

[1] and [i] may be lowered slightly so that they approach the

upper m.id vowels,

4

1.31

1.22 /a/

[a] occurs before /+/. After /+/ it varies freely with [ae] before

consonants,
[ae] occurs in /CaC/ (but not /CaC*/ or /CaC:/). It also occurs in

/+aC/ as a free variant of [a].
[^] approaches [a] and occurs before ./i/ and /u/.
[c] occurs in /aC:/ or /aCC/.
[a] occurs with /*/.

1.23 /u/

[Uw] occurs in /-l-uV/ or /-fu-V/. It also occurs in /VuV/ or /CuV/.
The initial corapoiient is shortened, so that this sound often
occurs as [w]. ' • "* ff^»*'^

[u^] differs from the preceding allophone in that the initial com-
ponent is not shortened, while the final component is, so that
the sound may be heard as [u] in rapid speech. In slow speech,
however, this is not the case, and the two components may be
heard, further evidence for the presence of [w] is given by
the fact that the addition of an affix beginning with a vowel
results in a lengthening of the [w]: e.g., [Imitru], [imitruwaet].

[u] occurs in /-(-uC/ and /uC:/. It also occurs in /Cu:/ or /uC+/.

[v] occurs in /CuC/ but not in /CuC*/.

[it*] differs from the preceding sound in that it is slightly lower
and approaches [o]. It occurs with /*/.

1.3 Suprasegmental Comiponents

1.31 /*/. This phoneme indicates a back position for certain conso-
nants and all vowels {except [®]). It differs from, the phonemes
^ described above in that its domain extends over the entire syllable in
: which it occurs. In the phonemes previously described, the selection
; of allophone s is determined by the phonemies immediately before or
after. When /*/ occurs, however, not only the preceding consonant,
'. but also the vowel and the consonant before that vowel, if any, are
I affected; e.g., [adad] ^finger*. In this word, both [d]^s are domal, and
I the vowel between them is a back vowel. Because this is the general
I structure of sequences containing an emphatic consonant, it miay be
said that there is an element which extends over the three phonemes
in such manner that the point of artictilation is further back. The
' domain of the phonemte /*/ may then be described more exactly as

/CVC*/, and the exaxnple just given can be written /adad*/. It should
I be noted that not all consonants have special allophone s occuring with
» this phonem^e. Those that do are /t d k s z r 1/. It should also be
noted that in may cases /*/ may be dropped, so that many words have
two forms: e.g., ^idad-^-g-idad*/.

[®] iSf of course, non-phonem.ic. See Appendix to Chapter I, p. 9.

5

AMERICAN COUNCIL OF LEARNED SOCIETIES
Program in Oriental Languages
Publications Series B — ^Aids — ^Number 1 1

AN OUTLINE OF
THE STRUCTURE OF SHILHA

by
Joseph R. Applegate

American Council of Learned Societies

New York

1958