Aspects of glottalization in Dâw language: an experimental phonetics study

• Grant number: 14/26712-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: April 01, 2015
• End date: January 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Linguistics, Literature and Arts - Linguistics - Linguistic Theory and Analysis
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Luciana Raccanello Storto
• Grantee: Lucas Cavalini Barboza
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This M.A. project proposes a study on glottalization in Dâw language, understood as a secondary articulation that enhances glottal and possibly laryngeal constriction (Laver, 1980: 330). We depart from Martins's (2004) work and from an undergraduate research carried out by this project author. In the undergraduate research, we have analyzed acoustically sound records of single words, minimal pairs and sentences pronunciation. We have confirmed the distinctive function of glottalization in that language (Martins, 2004: 16), which occurs only with sonorants, and we have observed three different patterns in glottalized sonorants: one of them, the less frequent, is composed of a glottal stop and a sonorant, producing a single phonemic unit, and the two others are associated to phonation type change: creaky phonation and tense/harsh voice. Although we have found some important clues, we consider that it is necessary to do more studies and quantitative analysis with statistical treatment of data. Moreover, some issues, as the laryngeal events timing, the relationship between tone and glottalization, the syllabic reduction process and some articulation aspects, still should be answered. We intend to analyze the phenomenon by observing acoustic, aerodynamic and electroglottographic data based upon works on laryngeal articulations and phonation types, as Laver (1980; 1994), Ladefoged and Maddieson (1996) and Gordon and Ladefoged (2001). Glottalization has a crucial importance for Dâw language because of its phonemic role and seems to occur in many regional languages. A further comprehension of glottalization may also provide some important information for the study of phonation types, which concerns a lot of knowledge areas, and of laryngeal articulation. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

BARBOZA, Lucas Cavalini. Aspects of glottalization in Dâw: an experimental phonetics study. 2017. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH/SBD) São Paulo.