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Prefix Reform: Difference between revisions
Add chart, change [bunu] example to [bʊnu]
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(Add chart, change [bunu] example to [bʊnu]) |
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==Pronunciation changes== | ==Pronunciation changes== | ||
[[File:PrefixReform.svg|300px|thumb|right|A chart showing the spelling and pronunciation changes. The pink segments are pronounced with unstressed, short, closed vowels (here [kʰʊ̌˧]).]] | |||
* Stress the first syllable of the stem rather than the prefix. For instance, in {{t|puchumgòıchuq}} ‘was taking medicine’, stress the {{t|-goı-}}, no different than {{t|bugòıchuq}} ‘doesn’t/isn’t taking medicine’ or even just {{t|goıchuq}} ‘take medicine’. | * Stress the first syllable of the stem rather than the prefix. For instance, in {{t|puchumgòıchuq}} ‘was taking medicine’, stress the {{t|-goı-}}, no different than {{t|bugòıchuq}} ‘doesn’t/isn’t taking medicine’ or even just {{t|goıchuq}} ‘take medicine’. | ||
* This stressed syllable should be louder and/or longer and/or more extreme in terms of the tone contour. | * This stressed syllable should be louder and/or longer and/or more extreme in terms of the tone contour. | ||
* The unstressed prefix syllables should use the weak forms of their core vowels: /u/ goes to [ʊ], /i/ goes to [ɪ], /o/ goes to [ɔ]. These contextual allophones are already used elsewhere in the language – namely, [ɔ] appears in {{t|oı}} /ɔj/, and the three are also triggered before {{t|q}}, e.g., {{t|bıq}} [bɪŋ] and not [biŋ]. Now imagine this is yet another context for them to be weakened. This leads to spicy phonoaesthetics not seen anywhere else in the language: {{t|jıa-}} [dʑɪa]! | * The unstressed prefix syllables should use the weak forms of their core vowels: /u/ goes to [ʊ], /i/ goes to [ɪ], /o/ goes to [ɔ]. These contextual allophones are already used elsewhere in the language – namely, [ɔ] appears in {{t|oı}} /ɔj/, and the three are also triggered before {{t|q}}, e.g., {{t|bıq}} [bɪŋ] and not [biŋ]. Now imagine this is yet another context for them to be weakened. This leads to spicy phonoaesthetics not seen anywhere else in the language: {{t|jıa-}} [dʑɪa]! | ||
* The unstressed prefix syllables should be shortened with regards to regular vowel length: {{t|bunúq}} ‘the non-snake’ could be [bʊ̌nʊq]. (◌̆, the breve, is used to signal “extra-short” vowel length in the IPA.) At any rate, they should sound shorter than the stressed syllable of the stem (so [bʊnuː] for {{t|bunú}} is fine). | |||
* In terms of tone: always pronounce all prefixes with the mid level tone, [˧]. Extra care should be taken not to allow the tone to slide upwards or downwards as it’s pronounced – in other words, avoid *[˧˦] or *[˧˨]. | * In terms of tone: always pronounce all prefixes with the mid level tone, [˧]. Extra care should be taken not to allow the tone to slide upwards or downwards as it’s pronounced – in other words, avoid *[˧˦] or *[˧˨]. | ||