The Unstressed Vowel Reduction of Galician
This study investigates the unstressed reduction process of Galician. In particular, we wondered about: (1) the specific mechanisms involved, (2) whether there are different degrees of reduction, depending on the word-stress position, or whether reduction applies categorically to all unstressed vowe...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/10/1/16 |
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| author | Alba Aguete Cajiao |
| author_facet | Alba Aguete Cajiao |
| author_sort | Alba Aguete Cajiao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study investigates the unstressed reduction process of Galician. In particular, we wondered about: (1) the specific mechanisms involved, (2) whether there are different degrees of reduction, depending on the word-stress position, or whether reduction applies categorically to all unstressed vowels, (3) whether it depends on the duration, and (4) whether it is a mechanical process. In order to answer those questions, an experimental acoustic study with semi-spontaneous speech from six young Galician-native women was conducted. The results were analyzed by applying individual linear mixed-effects models for each vowel. The results show that two different mechanisms are involved in the reduction process, namely raising and centralization, and conclude that, in Galician, this process does not depend on the duration of the segment, and, thus, it is controlled by the grammar of the language. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8ff27588c07e43428910ab53feedfcef |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2226-471X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Languages |
| spelling | doaj-art-8ff27588c07e43428910ab53feedfcef2025-01-24T13:38:24ZengMDPI AGLanguages2226-471X2025-01-011011610.3390/languages10010016The Unstressed Vowel Reduction of GalicianAlba Aguete Cajiao0Departamento de Lengua Española, Universidad de Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, SpainThis study investigates the unstressed reduction process of Galician. In particular, we wondered about: (1) the specific mechanisms involved, (2) whether there are different degrees of reduction, depending on the word-stress position, or whether reduction applies categorically to all unstressed vowels, (3) whether it depends on the duration, and (4) whether it is a mechanical process. In order to answer those questions, an experimental acoustic study with semi-spontaneous speech from six young Galician-native women was conducted. The results were analyzed by applying individual linear mixed-effects models for each vowel. The results show that two different mechanisms are involved in the reduction process, namely raising and centralization, and conclude that, in Galician, this process does not depend on the duration of the segment, and, thus, it is controlled by the grammar of the language.https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/10/1/16vowel reduction processvowel durationGalician vowel system |
| spellingShingle | Alba Aguete Cajiao The Unstressed Vowel Reduction of Galician Languages vowel reduction process vowel duration Galician vowel system |
| title | The Unstressed Vowel Reduction of Galician |
| title_full | The Unstressed Vowel Reduction of Galician |
| title_fullStr | The Unstressed Vowel Reduction of Galician |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Unstressed Vowel Reduction of Galician |
| title_short | The Unstressed Vowel Reduction of Galician |
| title_sort | unstressed vowel reduction of galician |
| topic | vowel reduction process vowel duration Galician vowel system |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/10/1/16 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT albaaguetecajiao theunstressedvowelreductionofgalician AT albaaguetecajiao unstressedvowelreductionofgalician |