Turinese Syllable Structure and Vowel Insertion ...

Italian Culture

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Turinese Syllable Structure and Vowel Insertion Processes Lori Repetti To cite this article: Lori Repetti (1995) Turinese Syllable Structure and Vowel Insertion Processes, Italian Culture, 13:1, 323-333, DOI: 10.1179/itc.1995.13.1.323 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/itc.1995.13.1.323

Published online: 18 Jul 2013.

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Date: 18 December 2016, At: 11:30

TURINESE SYLLABLE STRUCTURE AND VOWEL INSERTION PROCESSES Lori Repetti The loss of unstressed vowels (except g, which resisted deletion) in northern Itali an dialects has sometimes resulted in strings of consonants

that are not

pronounceable (1). (la) ( 1b)

mer(u)lu> *[merlo] > */merl/ 'blackbird' levare > *(levaare] > *11vaar / 'to lift'

How are these words eventually pronounced?

As shown in (2), an epenthetic

vowel is added to assist in the pronunciation of these words: (2a)

[mer2l]

(2b)

@lvaarl

What happens when words of this nature are pronounced within the context of a phrase?

Sometimes no epenthetic vowel is needed (3a), but sometimes a

schwa is inserted in various positions «3b) and (3c». (3a)

[dudz ;);)v] 'twelve eggs'

(3b)

[dud2,z galeen]

(3c)

[dud~

'twelve chickens'

mlo~] 'twelve melons'

In this paper, I will focus on the phenomenon illustrative

exemplified

in (3) which is

of more general processes of vowel insertion in northern Italian

dialects. I will limit my analysis to data from the Turinese dialect. This paper will be organized as follows.

First, I will present data from the

dialect of Turin illustrating vowel insertion processes within the context of the phrase, and then I will review some of the suggestions that have been presented

Lori Repetti

324

in the literature to account for these data. Finally, I will show that there is a simple, unified way to describe all of the relevant data, if we take into account the syllable structure of Turinese words. The relevant data are presented in (4) - (7). (4) definite article: (a)

[1]

(b)

[~l]

(c)

[la]

[lom] 'the man' [al a 1parlatYri sarE] 'he has his mouth shut' [al kaVE1]'the horse' [a v?l~l pres] 'he wants the pear' [l~ spetj'l 'the mirror' [a kunYsla vziU] 'he knows the neighbor'

(5) indefinite article:

(a)

[n]

(b)

[~n]

(c)

[n~]

[n amiz] 'a friend' [bEjvekum n urs] 'to drink like a bear' [a9 ka9] 'a dog' [a na v?l~n tok] 'he want a piece' [n~ spetj"]'a mirror' [man~ cum na zVHser]'to eat like a person from Switzerland'

Turinese Syllable Structure and Vowel Insertion Processes

325

(6) preposition 'of': (a) Cd] [dm po d paD] 'some bread' [p]'too much' [skera] 'dark' [tr::>p2 skera] 'too dark'

The data in (4) show that the simple consonantal form of the definite article, [1], is used if the following word begins with a vowel ([1 om]), or if the preceding word ends in a vowel ([al a IparlatYri sarE]). The form schwa + consonant ([al]) is used word-initially or if the preceding word ends in one or two consonants. In addition, the following word must begin with one consonant or with a consonant + /r / or consonant + /1/ cluster: Calkawl], [a v?l al pres]. The form consonant + schwa ([ld]) is used word-initially, if the preceding word ends in one or two consonants and the following word begins with two consonants (other than consonant + riD: [la spetj"], [a kunYs la vzin]. The same description applies to the data in (5) and (6).

Lori Repetti

326

The examples in (7) show that an epenthetic vowel is inserted between two words if the first word ends in one or two consonants

and the second word

begins with two consonants (other than consonant + r II). How can we account for these processes of schwa-insertion?

We will begin

by looking at the way others have explained the patterns of epenthesis observed in Turinese. In his Grammaticapiemonte~, Aly-Belfadel (1933) suggests the Paradigm of definite articles shown in (8). (8) Aly-Belfadel

(1933)

definite article before or after a vowel

[1]

before a consonant

[all [la]

before a consonant

cluster1

This paradigm correctly describes the forms of the article and the contexts in which they appear, but it does not account for the reason that we find these particular forms in these Particular contexts. Clivio (1971) makes two points relevant to these data.

First, he argues

convincingly that Turinese has a rule of epenthesis in certain contexts, and then he argues (less convincingly,

according to Butler 1972) that words beginning

lsI + consonant cluster have an underlying form consisting of an initial schwa + I s I + consonant. For example, of the two possible

with an

pronunciations

of the word for 'star', [stEjla]

=

[astEjla], the second one (with

the initial schwa) should be regarded as the underlying form:

I astEjla I .

With this in mind, Clivio proposes that the underlying form of the definite article is /\11. If the underlying form of the definite article is lall, how can we account for the other forms of the definite article, [1] and [la]?Clivio explains

1 He describes these clusters as including /s/+consonant, etc., but not consonant + Irl or consonant + Ill.

[dn], [mn], [vs], [ml], [fn],


327

that these forms are derived by a rule of schwa-deletion in certain contexts, specifically before a vowel (9). (9) (a) (b) (c)

schwa-deletion rule: I all > III when it occurs before a vowel: I al oml > [l om] I al aspetj"I > [l aspetj"J but: I al ka val I > [al ka val]

The initial schwa of the definite article is deleted in (9a) because the noun following the definite article begins with a vowel. The initial schwa of the definite article is deleted in (9b) for the same reason. The schwa in the surface form of (9b), [l aspetj"J, is part of the lexical form of the noun; it is not part of the definite article. The schwa-deletion rule does not apply in (9c) because the noun does not begin with a vowel. There are three problems with Clivio's analysis: (i) The initial schwa in forms like [astEjla] is non-etymological. Where did it come from? (ii) His proposal is counter-intuitive. Why have a (non-etymological) schwa in the underlying representation, as well as a schwa-deletion rule? (iii) This analysis is somewhat ad hoc. Why is a schwa deleted from the schwa + III definite article if the next word begins with a vowel? Butler (1972) responds to Clivio and attempts to show that initial schwa in forms like [astEjla] is not part of the underlying form, as Clivio had claimed. Furthermore, he proposes that the underlying representation of the masculine singular definite article is Ilu/. Apocope results in the loss of the vowel in the definite article (/lul > [1]), and a rule of epenthesis then inserts a schwa where needed: [all and·[la]. There are two problems with Butler's analysis. (i) It is unclear why he included a vowel in the underlying representation of the definite article (/lu/)

Lori Repetti

328

that never surfaces.2 (ii) Butler never specifies what the motivation is for the rules of epenthesis. I would like suggest that the underlying form of the Turinese article is /1/. This form of the definite article can surface ([1]), or a schwa may be inserted either before ([all) or after ([la]) the /1/ by a rule of epenthesis. How can we motivate the rule of epenthesis? The rules of Turinese epenthesis can easily be accounted for if we look at the structure of the Turinese syllable. What is the structure of the syllable in Turinese? Within the body of a word (but not at word edges), consonant clusters (other than consonant + /1/ or consonant + Ir /) are forbidden in onset position, and no consonant clusters are permitted in coda position.3 In other words, only single consonants or consonant + liquid clusters are permitted in onset position, and only single consonants are (usually) permitted in coda position. A template of the Turinese syllable is given in (10). (10)

(}

(s = syllable node, C

= consonant,

V

= vowel)

~ -CVC-CrVC -Cl VC A word pronounced in isolation may begin and end with other consonant clusters, as seen in (7). With this in mind, how can we account for our Turinese data? We must consider a phrase as if it were a single unit, because, in the spoken language, words are not pronounced as isolated units. After the syllabification of the phrase (according to the template in (10», if there is an unsyllabified consonant, an epenthetic vowel is inserted before it. This rule is formulated in (11). 2 This article appears only in archaic forms or fixed phrases such as [p~r lu pi] 'at most' and [p~r lu meno] 'at least'. 30ccasionaly sonorant + obstruent clusters are permitted in coda position wordinternally.


329

(11) epenthesis: insert epenthetic vowel before an unsyllabified consonant (J

(J

IT\

/1\

eve

e~ eve

--->

(J

(J

IT\

IT\

eve

eve

There is no logical reason for inserting the epenthetic vowel before the unsyllabified consonant, as opposed to inserting it after the unsyllabified consonant or as opposed to deleting the unsyllabified consonant. And, in fact, we find all of these options in various northern Italian dialects. It is along this parameter which the dialects differ. Summing up: (i) I suggest that the definite article in Turinese consists of a bare consonant in the underlying representation: /1/. (ii) Within the context of a phrase, an ePenthetic vowel is inserted before an unsyllabified consonant. I will now apply these principles to the data in (4), reprinted in (12). (12) epenthesis and the definite article: (a) /1 + om/ > [lom] 'the man' / al + a + I + parlatori + sara/ > [al a I parlatYri sarE] 'he has his mouth shut' (b) /1 + kaval/ > [al kawl] 'the horse' / a + vi + 1+ pres / > [a vI al pres] 'he wants the pear' (c) /1 + spetj/ > [la spetj] 'the mirror' / a + kunos + I + vziU/ > [a kunos la vziU] 'he knows the neighbor' In the case of /1 om/, the /11 is syllabified as the onset of the word / om/ , and in the case of / al + a + I + parlatori + sara/, the /1/ is syllabified as the coda of the verb / a/ . In the case of /1 kaval/, the /1/ cannot be syllabified, so an epenthetic vowel is inserted before it, resulting in [aI]. As for the phrase /a v?II pres/, the underlying form of the definite article, /1/, cannot be adjoined to the

Lori Repetti

330 preceding word

Iv?l/, nor can it be adjoined to the following word Ipres/.

Therefore, an epenthetic vowel is inserted before it in order to syllabify it: [all. In the case of (definite

article)

II spetf I, there are two unsyllabifiable consonants, the III and the lsI of the initial consonant cluster. Now the

epenthetic vowel is inserted between the two consonant, resulting in [la spetf]. Similarly, in the case of the initial

la kunos 1 vziU/, both the III (definite article) and

Iv I of IvziUI are unsyllabifiable.

Therefore, the epenthetic vowel

is inserted between them. At this point we need to revise our rule of epenthesis as formulated in (11). We need to add another consonants,

rule saying

the epenthetic

that if there are two unsyllabified

vowel is inserted

between

them.

This rule is

formulated in (13). (13) epenthesis 2: insert epenthetic vowel between two unsyllabified consonants

a

a Ir\

a ->

eve

a

Ir\

eve

The same analysis is applicable to the data in (5) and (6).4 The data in (7) can also be analyzed according to this model. In (7a) we see that [dez] is a perfectly acceptable Turinese word. Similarly, [vzi] is fine, but

Ivzil is pronounced in a phrase in which it is no longer in absolute initial position, the Iv I is unsyllabifiable (14a). The Iv I is eventually syllabified by inserting an epenthetic vowel only when it is pronounced in isolation.

Once

4 As for the data in (6), the prepositon 'or, we sometimes find the expected form, [ad], alternating with the bare consonantal form [d]: [tur ad babel]=[tur d babel] 'tower of Babel', [al suI ad mezdH]=[al suI d mezdH] 'the noon sun'. We find this unexpected use of [d) if the preceding word ends in a sonorant (a liquid, a nasal, or a glide). Why are both forms - [ad] and [d) - acceptable in this context? The answer again lies in syllable structure. As noted in footnote 3, sonorant + obstruent clusters are sometimes permitted in coda position. The form [tur ~d babel] is the expected and common form, but [tur d babel] is also found since [turd] is an acceptable Turinese syllable.

a Ir\

ev


331

before it (14b). The coda Izl of Idezl is then resyllabified into the onset position of the new syllable (14c). (14) /dezJ + fv'Zif > [dez J vzi] 'ten neighbors' (a) a 0 Ir\ A

(b)

(c)

dez

v

a

a

zi a

Ir\

A

A

dez

av

zi

a

a

a

A

Ir\

A

de

zav

zi

The same analysis holds for the data in (7b) and (7c). In her study of the history of the masculine singular definite article in Italian and in the northern Italian dialects, Vanelli (1992) convincingly argues that the original form which the article took was 110/, with III derived from 1101 by a rule of apocope in the context of an adjacent vowel. The form leI I (representing any vowel + Ill) is a more recent innovation derived from III by a rule of epenthesis of leI to the bare consonantal form Ill. Vanelli continues by showing that the synchronic underlying form of the definite article in the northern Italian dialects is lell, and that III derives from fell post-vocalically by a rule of syncope. However, pre-vocalic III must be considered a separate morpheme, as evidenced by data from the some northern dialects (for example, Romagna, Novara, and Cuneo) in which the preconsonantal and pre-vocalic forms of the definite article have very different forms. For example, in the dialect of Trecate in the province of Novara, the preconsonantal form of the article is ~ (a temp 'the time'), but the pre-vocalic form

Lori Repetti

332 is

1(l

f! and

amis 'the friend') (p. 52). Clearly, these two forms of the definite article,

1, are not derived from the same underlying form.

My analysis of the Turinese definite article differs from Vanelli's analysis of the northern Italian definite article in general in that I argue that the underlying form of the definite article in Turinese

is

III, while she argues that the

underlying form of the definite article in northern Italian dialects is

lel/.

My

reason for suggesting a different underlying form for Turinese is based on three pieces of evidence. article

(i) The pre-vocalic and post-vocalic forms of the definite

([1]) are identical

in Turinese

and are clearly

related

to the pre-

consonantal form ([aID. (ii) Secondly, the Turinese article [la], is most simply derived from

III by a rule of epenthesis. If the underlying form of the article

were lell, then, in addition to the rule of epenthesis (resulting in */ela/), of syncope would have to be posited (resulting in Ila/).

a rule

The addition of this

rule unnecessarily complicates the grammar. (iii) Finally, if we assume that the surface forms of the definite article ([I], [all, and [laD are derived from an underlying III by a rule of epenthesis, then the patterns observed for the definite article are identical to the patterns of epenthesis observed in other linguistic contexts as well, such as sandhi phenomena and the generation of the surface forms of the indefinite article and the preposition 'of'. In this paper I hope to have shown that we can account for an array of Turinese data involving the insertion of an epenthetic vowel if we consider the structure epenthetic

of the syllable.

If a string of phonemes

vowel is needed.

can be syllabified,

If there is one unsyllabified

consonant,

no an

epenthetic vowel is inserted before it. If there are two unsyllabified consonants, an epenthetic vowel is inserted between them. In this analysis, the underlying representations

are simple, and the surface forms are generated by a series of

principles and parameters, and not by rules ordered in an ad hoc way.


333

The process of vowel insertion in Turinese has been profitably accounted for by using an abstract model of a syllable, a model borrowed from generative grammar. In this way, we have arrived at a deeper, more general, and, therefore, more meaningful analysis of the phenomena under consideration. SUNY, Stony Brook

BIBLIOGRAPHY Aly-Belfadel, Arturo (1933) Grammatica piemontese Noale: Guin. Butler, Jonathan L. (1972) "Schwa-Deletion or Schwa-Insertion in Piedmontese?" Zeitschrift ffir romanische Philologie 88: 153-165. Clivio, Gianrenzo (1971) "Vocalic Prosthesis, Schwa-Deletion and Morphophonemics in Piedmontese" Zeitschrift ffir romanische Philologie 87: 334-344. Vanelli, Laura (1992) "Da '10' a 'il': storia dell'articolo definito maschile singolare nell'italiano e nei dialetti settentrionali" Rivista italiana di dialettologia 16: 2966.