Title

Phonemic Distinction between Vowels and Glides in Sinvaudjan Paiwan 

Author

Yeh, Shih-chi Stella  

Genre

Article  

Pages

551-586

Download

PDF

Language

English  

Key words

vowel/glide distinction, derived glide, stress, syllabification, Aus-tronesian language, Paiwan

Abstract

      This paper shows that it is necessary to posit a phonemic distinction between the high vowels /i u/ and the glides /j w/ in Sinvaudjan Paiwan, although the latter are usually taken to be alternants of the former in phonological theory, conditioned by syllabic or metrical position. I provide evidence in support of this distinction and offer a unified account which is in accord with the established evidence from stress and morphophonemic alternations. The contrast between the vowels and glides is reflected
in the segments’ moraic status and the internal structure of syllables, including the syllabic affiliation and distribution of phonemic vowels and glides. The confusion made by surface glides is also explained: phonemic glides, which are true consonants, pattern with consonants, whereas derived glides, which come from vowels, are mostly vowel-like.