Preaspiration

{{Short description|Consonant preceded by strong burst of air}} In phonetics, '''preaspiration''' (sometimes spelled '''pre-aspiration'''){{sfnp|Nance|Stuart-Smith|2013}} is a period of voicelessness or aspiration preceding the closure of a voiceless obstruent,{{sfnp|Silverman|2003|p=575}} basically an {{IPA|[h]}}-like sound preceding the obstruent. In other words, when an obstruent is preaspirated, voicing stops and the glottis is opened for some time before the obstruent closure.{{sfnp|Stevens|Hajek|2004|p=334}} To mark preaspiration using the International Phonetic Alphabet, the diacritic for regular aspiration, {{angbr IPA|ʰ}}, can be placed before the preaspirated consonant. However, {{Harvcoltxt|Ladefoged|Maddieson|1996|pp=70}} prefer to use a simple cluster notation, e.g. {{angbr IPA|hk}} instead of {{angbr IPA|ʰk}}.

==Typology== Preaspiration is comparatively uncommon across languages of the world,{{sfnp|Silverman|2003|p=592}} and is claimed by some to not be phonemically contrastive in any language.{{sfnp|Tronnier|2002|p=33}} {{Harvcoltxt|Ladefoged|Maddieson|1996}} note that, at least in the case of Icelandic, preaspirated stops have a longer duration of aspiration than normally aspirated (post-aspirated) stops, comparable to clusters of {{IPA|[h]}}+consonant in languages with such clusters. As a result, they view preaspiration as purely a distributional feature, indistinguishable phonetically and phonologically from clusters with {{IPA|/h/}}, and prefer to notate preaspirated stops as clusters, e.g. Icelandic ''kappi'' {{IPA|/ˈkʰahpi/}} "hero" rather than {{IPA|/ˈkʰaʰpi/}}.

A distinction is often made between so-called ''normative'' and ''non-normative'' preaspiration: in a language with normative preaspiration of certain voiceless obstruents, the preaspiration is obligatory even though it is not a distinctive feature; in a language with non-normative preaspiration, the preaspiration can be phonetically structured for those who use it, but it is non-obligatory, and may not appear with all speakers.{{sfnp|Gordeeva|Scobbie|2010|p=167ff}}{{sfnp|McRobbie-Utasi|2003|p=1}} Preaspirated consonants are typically in free variation with spirant-stop clusters, though they may also have a relationship (synchronically and diachronically) with long vowels or {{IPA|[s]}}-stop clusters.{{sfnp|Silverman|2003|p=593}}

Preaspiration can take a number of different forms; while the most usual is glottal friction (an {{IPA|[h]}}-like sound), the precise phonetic quality can be affected by the obstruent or the preceding vowel, becoming for example {{IPA|[ç]}} after close vowels;{{sfnp|Stevens|Hajek|2004|pp=334–35}} other potential realizations include {{IPA|[x]}},{{sfnp|Silverman|2003|p=593}} voiceless vowels, and even {{IPA|[f]}}.{{sfnp|McRobbie-Utasi|1991|p=77}}

Preaspiration is very unstable both synchronically and diachronically and is often replaced by a fricative or by a lengthening of the preceding vowel.{{sfnp|Silverman|2003|pp=592, 595}}

==Distribution== Preaspiration is perhaps best known from North Germanic languages, most prominently in Icelandic and Faroese, but also some dialects of Norwegian and Swedish. It is also a prominent feature of Scottish Gaelic. The presence of preaspiration in Gaelic has been attributed to North Germanic influence.{{sfnp|Bandle|Widmark|2002|p=2059}} Within Northwestern Europe preaspiration is furthermore found in most Sami languages, except Inari Sami where it has been replaced by postaspiration.{{sfnp|Sammallahti|1998|p=55}} The historical relationship between preaspiration in Sami and North Germanic is disputed: there is general agreement of a connection, but not on whether it represents Sami influence in North Germanic,{{sfnp|Rießler|2004}}{{sfnp|Kuzmenko|2008|pp=127–171}} North Germanic influence in Sami,{{sfnp|Posti|1954}} or parallel sprachbund influence in both languages.{{sfnp|Hansson|2001}}

Elsewhere in the world, preaspiration occurs in Halh Mongolian, Western Yugur, and in several American indigenous languages, including dialects of Hopi,{{sfnp|Rießler|2004|p=?}}{{sfnp|McRobbie-Utasi|1991|p=?}}{{sfnp|McRobbie-Utasi|2003}}{{sfnp|Svantesson|2003|p=?}} Purepecha, and many languages of the Algonquian family (such as Cheyenne, Cree, Ojibwe, Fox, and Miami–Illinois).

==Examples==

===English=== In certain accents, such as Geordie (among younger women) {{Harvcoltxt|Watt|Allen|2003|p=268}} and in some speakers of Dublin English<ref name="unidue">{{cite web|title=Glossary|url=https://www.uni-due.de/vcde/VCDE_Glossary.htm#GlossE|access-date=11 February 2015}}</ref> word- and utterance-final {{IPA|/p, t, k/}} can be preaspirated.

===Faroese=== Some examples of preaspirated plosives and affricates from Faroese (where they occur only after stressed vowels):

* {{lang|fo|klappa}} {{IPA|fo|ˈkʰlaʰpːa|}}, 'clap' * ''hattur'' {{IPA|fo|ˈhaʰtːʊɹ|}}, 'hat' * ''takka'' {{IPA|fo|ˈtʰaʰkːa|}}, 'thank' * ''søkkja'' {{IPA|fo|ˈsœʰt͡ʃːa|}}, 'sink' (transitive)

Furthermore, the dialects of Vágar, northern Streymoy and Eysturoy also have ungeminated preaspirated plosives and affricates (except after close vowels/diphthongs):

* ''apa'' {{IPA|fo|ˈɛaːʰpa|}}, 'ape', but: ''vípa'' {{IPA|fo|ˈvʊiːpa|}}, 'northern lapwing' * ''eta'' {{IPA|fo|ˈeːʰta|}}, 'eat', but: ''hiti'' {{IPA|fo|ˈhiːtɪ|}}, 'heat' * ''vøka'' {{IPA|fo|ˈvøːʰka|}}, 'wake', but: ''húka'' {{IPA|fo|ˈhʉuːka|}}, to 'squat' * ''høkja'' {{IPA|fo|ˈhøːʰt͡ʃa|}}, 'crutch', but: ''vitja'' {{IPA|fo|ˈviːt͡ʃa|}}, to 'visit'

===Icelandic=== Some examples of preaspirated plosives from Icelandic:{{sfnp|Silverman|2003|p=582}}

*''kappi'' {{IPA|is|ˈkʰahpɪ|}}, 'hero' *''hattur'' {{IPA|is|ˈhaʰtʏr̥|}}, 'hat' *''þakka'' {{IPA|is|ˈθaʰka||is-þakka.ogg}}, 'thank' *''hætta'' {{IPA|is|ˈhaiʰta|}}, 'stop/quit'

===Huautla Mazatec=== In Huautla Mazatec, preaspirates can occur word-initially, perhaps uniquely among languages which contain preaspirates:{{sfnp|Silverman|2003|pp=590–91}}

*{{IPA|mau|ʰti|}} - 'fish' *{{IPA|mau|ʰtse|}} - 'a sore' *{{IPA|mau|ʰtʃi|}} - 'small' *{{IPA|mau|ʰka|}} - 'stubble'

=== Sami languages=== Preaspiration in the Sami languages occurs on word-medial voiceless stops and affricates of all places of articulation available: {{IPA|/p/, /t̪/, /t͡s/, /t͡ɕ/, /k/}}. In the Western Sami languages (Southern, Ume, Pite, Lule and Northern) as well as Skolt Sami, preaspiration affects both long and half-long consonants; in most Eastern Sami languages (Akkala, Kildin and Ter) only fully long consonants are preaspirated. This likely represents two waves of innovation: an early preaspiration of long consonants dating back to Proto-Sami, followed by a secondary preaspiration of half-long consonants that originated in the Western Sami area and spread eastwards to Skolt Sami.{{sfnp|Sammallahti|1998|p=193}}

In several Sami languages, preaspirated stops/affricates contrast with lax voiceless stops, either due to denasalization of earlier clusters (e.g. *nt > {{IPA|[d̥ː]}}) or in connection to consonant gradation.

===Scottish Gaelic=== In Scottish Gaelic, preaspiration is phonemic in medial and final positions after stressed vowels, due to the historical loss of voiced stops.{{sfnp|Borgstrøm|1940|p=?}}

thumb|The approximate distribution of preaspiration in Gaelic dialects Its strength varies from area to area and can manifest itself as {{IPA|[ʰ]}} or {{IPA|[h]}} or in areas with strong preaspiration as {{IPA|[ç]}} or {{IPA|[x]}}. The occurrence of preaspiration follows a hierarchy of c > t > p; i.e. if a dialect has preaspiration with p, it will also have it in the other places of articulation. Preaspiration manifests itself as follows:<ref name=Survey>Ó Dochartaigh, C. ''Survey of the Gaelic Dialects of Scotland I-V'' Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (1997) {{ISBN|1-85500-165-9}}</ref> *'''Area 1''' as {{IPA|[xk xt xp]}} and {{IPA|[çkʲ çtʲ çp]}} *'''Area 2''' as {{IPA|[xk xt hp]}} and {{IPA|[çkʲ çtʲ hp]}} *'''Area 3''' as {{IPA|[xk ht hp]}} and {{IPA|[çkʲ htʲ hp]}} *'''Area 4''' as {{IPA|[ʰk ʰt ʰp]}} *'''Area 5''' as {{IPA|[xk]}} and {{IPA|[çkʲ]}} (no preaspiration of ''t'' and ''p'') *'''Area 6''' no preaspiration

There are numerous minimal pairs: * {{lang|gd|glag}} {{IPA|gd|kl̪ˠak|}} "clock" vs ''glac'' {{IPA|gd|kl̪ˠaxk|}} "grab" (v.) * ''ad'' {{IPA|gd|at̪|}} "hat" vs ''at'' {{IPA|gd|aʰt̪|}} "boil" (n.) * ''leag'' {{IPA|gd|ʎɛk|}} "throw down" vs ''leac'' {{IPA|gd|ʎɛxk|}} "flagstone" * ''aba'' {{IPA|gd|ˈapə|}} "abbot" vs ''apa'' {{IPA|gd|ˈaʰpə|}} "ape" (n.)

==H-clusters== Although distinguishing preaspirated consonants from clusters of /{{IPA link|h}}/ and a voiceless consonant can be difficult, the reverse does not hold: there are numerous languages such as Arabic or Finnish where such clusters are unanimously considered to constitute consonant clusters.{{citation needed|date=October 2017}}

==See also== *Aspiration * Prevoicing *Index of phonetics articles *Phonation

==Notes== {{reflist}}

==References== *{{cite book |last1=Bandle |first1=Oskar |last2=Widmark |first2=Gun |year=2002 |title=The Nordic Languages: An International Handbook of the History of the North Germanic Languages |volume=2 |publisher=Walter de Gruyter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6b7WwBC5tRAC |isbn=9783110171495 }} *{{cite book |last=Borgstrøm |first=Carl |title=The Dialects of the Outer Hebrides |year=1940 }} *{{citation |last1=Gordeeva |first1=Olga |last2=Scobbie |first2=James M |year=2010 |chapter=Preaspiration as a correlate of word-final voice in Scottish English fricatives |title=Turbulent Sounds: An Interdisciplinary Guide |editor1-last=Fuchs |editor1-first=Susanne |editor2-last=Toda |editor2-first=Martine |editor3-last=Zygis |editor3-first=Marzena |chapter-url=https://www.degruyter.com/viewbooktoc/product/43500/ }} *{{citation |last=Hansson |first=Gunnar Ólafur |year=2001 |chapter=Remains of a submerged continent. Preaspiration in the languages of Northwest Europe |title=Historical linguistics 1999 |pages=157–173 |editor-last=Brinton |editor-first=Laurel J. |place=Amsterdam }} *{{Cite book |last=Kuzmenko |first=Jurij K. |title=Der samische Einfluss auf die skandinavischen Sprachen: Ein Beitrag zur skandinavischen Sprachgeschichte |date=2008 |publisher=Humboldt-Universität zu Bln Nordeuropa Inst. |isbn=978-3-932406-25-6 |edition=1 |location=Berlin |language=de |trans-title=The Sami Influence on the Scandinavian Languages: A Contribution to the History of the Scandinavian Language |oclc=244629279}} *{{SOWL|mode=cs2}} *{{citation |last=McRobbie-Utasi |first=Zita |year=1991 |chapter=Preaspiration in Skolt Sámi |title=SFU Working Papers in Linguistics |editor-last=McFetridge |editor-first=P. |volume=1 |pages=77–87 |chapter-url=https://www.sfu.ca/~mcrobbie/SkPreasp%20.pdf |access-date=2007-03-07 }} *{{citation |last=McRobbie-Utasi |first=Zita |year=2003 |title=Normative Preaspiration in Skolt Sami in Relation to the Distribution of Duration in the Disyllabic Stress-Group |url=https://www.sfu.ca/~mcrobbie/Honti.pdf |access-date=2007-03-07 }} * {{citation |last1=Nance |first1=Claire |last2=Stuart-Smith |first2=Jane |year=2013 |title=Pre-aspiration and post-aspiration in Scottish Gaelic stop consonants |journal=Journal of the International Phonetic Association |volume=43 |issue=2 |pages=129–152 |doi=10.1017/S0025100313000042 |s2cid=28383364 |url=http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/86482/1/86482.pdf }} *{{citation |last=Posti |first=Lauri |year=1954 |title=On the origin of the voiceless vowel in Lapp |journal=Svenska Landsmål och Svenskt Folkliv |volume=77 |pages=199–209 }} *{{citation|last=Rießler |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Rießler|year=2004 |chapter=On the origin of preaspiration in North Germanic |editor1-last=Jones-Bley |editor1-first=Karlene |editor2-last=Della Volpe |editor2-first=Angela |editor3-last=Dexter |editor3-first=Miriam Robbins |editor4-last=Martin E. |editor4-first=Huld |title=Proceedings of the Fifteenth Annual UCLA Indo-European Conference. Los Angeles, November 7–8, 2003 |volume=49 |series=Journal of Indo-European Monograph Series |pages=168–185 |place=Washington, D.C. |publisher=Institute for the Study of Man |chapter-url=http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/pies/pdfs/IEC/IEC15/Riessler_M_2003.pdf |access-date=2007-03-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060906024741/http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/pies/pdfs/IEC/IEC15/Riessler_M_2003.pdf |archive-date=September 6, 2006 }} * {{cite book |first=Pekka |last=Sammallahti |author-link=Pekka Sammallahti |title=The Saami Languages: An Introduction |year=1998 |publisher=Davvi Girji }} *{{citation |last=Silverman |first=Daniel |year=2003 |title=On the Rarity of Pre-Aspirated Stops |journal=Journal of Linguistics |volume=39 |issue=3 |pages=575–598 |doi=10.1017/S002222670300210X |citeseerx=10.1.1.529.8048 |s2cid=53698769 }} *{{citation |last1=Stevens |first1=Mary |last2=Hajek |first2=John |year=2004 |chapter=How Pervasive is Preaspiration? Investigating Sonorant Devoicing in Sienese Italian |title=Tenth Australian International Conference on Speech Science & Technology, Macquarie University, Sydney |pages=334–39 |chapter-url=http://www.assta.org/sst/2004/proceedings/papers/sst2004-406.pdf |access-date=2007-03-07 |archive-date=2006-09-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060918141038/http://www.assta.org/sst/2004/proceedings/papers/sst2004-406.pdf |url-status=dead }} *{{citation |last=Svantesson |first=Jan-Olof |year=2003 |chapter=Preaspiration in Old Mongolian? |title=Proceedings from Fonetik 2003. PHONUM. Reports in Phonetics |volume=9 |place=Umeå University |pages=5–8 |chapter-url=http://www.ling.umu.se/fonetik2003/pdf/005.pdf |access-date=2007-03-07 |archive-date=2007-02-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070205053400/http://www.ling.umu.se/fonetik2003/pdf/005.pdf |url-status=dead }} *{{citation |last=Tronnier |first=Mechtild |year=2002 |chapter=Preaspiration in Southern Swedish Dialects |title=Proceedings of Fonetik 2002. Speech, Music and Hearing Quarterly Progress and Status Report |volume=44 |pages=33–36 |chapter-url=http://www.speech.kth.se/prod/publications/files/qpsr/2002/2002_44_1_033-036.pdf |access-date=2007-03-07 }} *{{citation |last1=Watt |first1=Dominic |last2=Allen |first2=William |year=2003 |title=Tyneside English |journal=Journal of the International Phonetic Association |volume=33 |issue=2 |pages=267–271 |doi=10.1017/S0025100303001397 |doi-access=free }}

Category:Phonetics