Difference between revisions of "Lenition"

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Lenition is an [[Initial Consonant Mutation]] which "softens" the sound of the first [[Consonant (definition)|consonant]] in a word. It is used to mark certain [[Morphology (definition)|morphological]] contrasts and to mark [[Inflection (definition)||inflection]]. It also inaccurately known as [[aspiration]] (which is the term used for a phonological phenomenon involving a burst of air). we will use the more correct term here.
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'''Lenition''' is an [[Initial Consonant Mutation (definition)|initial consonant mutation]] which "weakens" (cf. Latin ''lenis'' 'weak') the sound of the [[Consonant (definition)|consonant]] at the beginning of a word. It is used to mark certain [[Morphology (definition)|morphological]] contrasts and to mark [[Inflection (definition)|inflection]]. It is also inaccurately known as [[aspiration]] (which is the term used for a phonological phenomenon involving a burst of air). We will use the more accurate term ''lenition'' here.
  
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==Basic phenomenon==
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==Orthographic changes==
  
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==Orthographic Changes==
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For most letters, lenition is indicated by putting an <h> after the first consonant in the word. For example, when the word ''caora'' 'sheep' follows the [[Feminine (definition)|feminine]] [[Article|article]] '' a' '', it is lenited and is written '' a' chaora''.
  
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For most letters, lenition is indicated by putting an <h> after the first consonant in the word. For example, when the word ''caora'' "sheep" follows the [[Feminine (definition)|feminine]] [[Article|article]] '' a' '', it is lenited and is written '' a' chaora''.  
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The consonants written <l, n, r>, when subject to lenition ([[Lenition#Sonorants|see below]]), show no orthographic change.
  
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The consonants written l,n,r which are subject to lenition phonologically (see below) show no orthographic change.
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==Phonological changes==
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==Phonological Changes==
 
  
 
===Stops===
 
===Stops===
Line 47: Line 45:
 
|  [d̊ʲ]
 
|  [d̊ʲ]
 
|  [ʝ]
 
|  [ʝ]
−
|  '''''Di'''ùrachh'' <br> ['''d̊ʲ'''uːɾax] <br> 'a Jura-man'
+
|  '''''Di'''ùrach'' <br> ['''d̊ʲ'''uːɾax] <br> 'a Jura-man'
 
|  ''a '''Dh'''iùraich'' <br> [ə '''ʝ'''uːɾɪç]  <br> 'Jura-man (voc.)'  
 
|  ''a '''Dh'''iùraich'' <br> [ə '''ʝ'''uːɾɪç]  <br> 'Jura-man (voc.)'  
 
|-
 
|-
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|  ''a '''gh'''ille'' <br> [ə '''ʝ'''iʎə]  <br> 'boy (voc.)'  
 
|  ''a '''gh'''ille'' <br> [ə '''ʝ'''iʎə]  <br> 'boy (voc.)'  
 
|}
 
|}
 +
  
 
===Fricatives===
 
===Fricatives===
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|  [h]
 
|  [h]
 
|  '''''s'''uipear'' <br> ['''s̪'''uʰpəɾ] <br> 'supper'
 
|  '''''s'''uipear'' <br> ['''s̪'''uʰpəɾ] <br> 'supper'
−
|  ''do '''sh'''uipear'' <br> [d̪ə '''h'''uʰpəɾ] <br> 'your (sg.) supper'  
+
|  ''do '''sh'''uipear'' <br> [d̪̊ə '''h'''uʰpəɾ] <br> 'your (sg.) supper'  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|  [ʃ]
 
|  [ʃ]
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|  ''a '''sh'''eòladair'' <br> [ə '''h'''ɔːɫ̪əd̪̊ɪɾʲ]  <br> 'sailor (voc.)'
 
|  ''a '''sh'''eòladair'' <br> [ə '''h'''ɔːɫ̪əd̪̊ɪɾʲ]  <br> 'sailor (voc.)'
 
|}
 
|}
 +
  
 
===Sonorants===
 
===Sonorants===
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|  '''''r'''uith'' <br> ['''ɾ'''uç] <br> 'ran'  
 
|  '''''r'''uith'' <br> ['''ɾ'''uç] <br> 'ran'  
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
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===Restrictions===
  
 
Initial <sp>, <st>, <sg>, and sometimes <sn> (depending upon the dialect) do not undergo lenition.
 
Initial <sp>, <st>, <sg>, and sometimes <sn> (depending upon the dialect) do not undergo lenition.
  
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==Lenition Triggers==
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==Lenition triggers==
 +
 
 +
Lenition is a pervasive feature of Gaelic morphology, and there is no simple way to characterise the environments in which lenition appears. Nevertheless, it is possible to list the diverse environments that trigger lenition. In the following list, the environments are sorted by the part of speech of the lenited word.
  
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*certain articles:
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===Lenition on verbs===
−
*intensifiers: ''glè, ro''
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* triggered by the negative particle ''cha(n)''
 +
* triggered by the negative interrogative/subordinating particle nach
 +
* triggered by past tense particles (''do''/null)/''(do) dh’''
 +
* triggered by the relative particle ''a''
  
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==See Also==
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===Lenition on nouns===
 +
* triggered by some forms of the definite article ''an/a’''
 +
* triggered by some possessive agreement markers
 +
* triggered by some prepositions
 +
**bho
 +
**gu
 +
**do
 +
**anns a'
 +
**air
 +
**aig
 +
* triggered by the numerals ''aon'' ‘one’ and ''dhà'' ‘two’
 +
* realises some number/case inflection on nouns
 +
**words beginning with labials and velars in the masculine genitive after the article (after a' -- and ''an'' if before f) (also  s --> t-s)
 +
**words beginning with labials and velars in the masculine dative after the article (after a'  -- and ''an'' if before f) (also s--> t-s)
 +
**words beginning with labials and velars in the feminine common case after the article (after a' and ''an''/__f) (also s --> t-s)
 +
* obligatory on right-hand member of some compounds
 +
* triggered by some derivational prefixes
 +
 
 +
 
 +
===Lenition on adjectives===
 +
**triggered by intensifiers ''glè'' ‘very’, ''ro'' ‘too’, and ''fior'' ‘truly’
 +
* realizes gender/number/case inflection on adjectives.
 +
**after feminine nouns
 +
**after dative masculine nouns
 +
 
 +
==See also==
 
*[[Initial Consonant Mutations]]
 
*[[Initial Consonant Mutations]]
 
*[[Initial Consonant Mutation (definition)]]
 
*[[Initial Consonant Mutation (definition)]]
 
*[[Nasalization]]
 
*[[Nasalization]]
  
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==External Links==
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==External links==
 +
*http://akerbeltz.org/index.php?title=Lenition
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*http://akerbeltz.org/index.php?title=Lenition_and_why_that_is_your_mothers_fault
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
 +
 +
*Cram, David (1975). Grammatical and phonological conditioning of initial mutations in Scottish Gaelic. ''Leuvense Bijdragen'' 64: 363-375.
 +
*Gillies, William (1993). Scottish Gaelic. In ''The Celtic Languages'' (Martin J. Ball and James Fife, eds.): 145-227.
 +
*Hamp, Eric P. (1951). Morphophonemes of the Keltic mutations. ''Language'' 27: 230-247.
 +
*Lieber, Rochelle (1983). New developments in autosegmental morphology: consonant mutation. ''Proceedings of WCCFL 2'': 165-175.
 +
*Oftedal, Magne (1962). A morphemic evaluation of the Celtic initial mutations. ''Lochlann'' 2: 93-102.
 +
*Pyatt, Elizabeth (1997). ''An Integrated Model of the Phonology and Syntax of Celtic Mutations''. Doctoral dissertation, Harvard University.
 +
*Rogers, Henry (1972). The initial mutations in modern Scots Gaelic. ''Studia Celtica'' 7: 63-65.
 +
*Stewart, Thomas W. (2004). ''Mutation as Morphology: Bases, Stems, and Shapes in Scottish Gaelic.'' Doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University.
  
 
[[Category:Phonology]]
 
[[Category:Phonology]]
 
[[Category:Morphology]]
 
[[Category:Morphology]]

Latest revision as of 07:41, 28 July 2014

Lenition is an initial consonant mutation which "weakens" (cf. Latin lenis 'weak') the sound of the consonant at the beginning of a word. It is used to mark certain morphological contrasts and to mark inflection. It is also inaccurately known as aspiration (which is the term used for a phonological phenomenon involving a burst of air). We will use the more accurate term lenition here.

Orthographic changes

For most letters, lenition is indicated by putting an <h> after the first consonant in the word. For example, when the word caora 'sheep' follows the feminine article a' , it is lenited and is written a' chaora.

The consonants written <l, n, r>, when subject to lenition (see below), show no orthographic change.

Phonological changes

Stops

Radical Lenited Example (radical) Example (lenited)
[pʰ] [f] paileat
[pʰaiʎəʰt̪]
'a pilot' 		aig a' phaileat
[ɛg̊ʲ ə faiʎəʰt̪]
'at the pilot'
[b̊] [v] bodach
[b̊ɔd̪̊ax]
'an old man' 		a bhodaich
[ə vɔd̪̊ɪç]
'old man (voc.)'
[t̪ʰ] [h] tuathanach
[t̪ʰuəhənax]
'a farmer' 		a thuathanaich
[ə huəhənɪç]
'farmer (voc.)'
[tʲʰ] [h] teachdaire
[tʲʰɛxg̊ɪɾʲə]
'a messenger' 		a theachdaire
[ə hɛxg̊ɪɾʲə]
'messenger (voc.)'
[d̪̊] [ɣ] duine
[d̪̊uɲə]
'a man' 		a dhuine
[ə ɣuɲə]
'man (voc.)'
[d̊ʲ] [ʝ] Diùrach
[d̊ʲuːɾax]
'a Jura-man' 		a Dhiùraich
[ə ʝuːɾɪç]
'Jura-man (voc.)'
[kʰ] [x] cailleach
[kʰaʎax]
'an old woman' 		aig a' chailleach
[ɛg̊ʲ ə xaʎax]
'at the old woman'
[kʲʰ] [ç] ceannaiche
[kʲʰan̪ˠɪçə]
'a salesman' 		a cheannaiche
[ə çan̪ˠɪçə]
'salesman (voc.)'
[g̊] [ɣ] gobha
[g̊o.ə]
'a smith' 		a ghobha
[ə ɣo.ə]
'smith (voc.)'
[g̊ʲ] [ʝ] gille
[g̊ʲiʎə]
boy' 		a ghille
[ə ʝiʎə]
'boy (voc.)'


Fricatives

Radical Lenited Example (radical) Example (lenited)
[f] null Frangach
[fɾaŋgax]
'a Frenchman' 		a Fhrangaich
[ə ɾaŋgɪç]
'Frenchman (voc.)'
[s̪] [h] suipear
[s̪uʰpəɾ]
'supper' 		do shuipear
[d̪̊ə huʰpəɾ]
'your (sg.) supper'
[ʃ] [h] seòladair
[ʃɔːɫ̪əd̪̊ɪɾʲ]
'a sailor' 		a sheòladair
[ə hɔːɫ̪əd̪̊ɪɾʲ]
'sailor (voc.)'


Sonorants

Radical Lenited Example (radical) Example (lenited)
[m] [ṽ] math
[ma]
'good (masc.)' 		mhath
[ṽa]
'good (fem.)'
[n̪ˠ] [n] nasg
[n̪ˠasg̊]
'a link' 		a nasg
[ə nasg̊]
'his link'
[ɲ] [n] nighean
[ɲiː.an]
'a daughter' 		a nighean
[ə niː.an]
'his daughter'
[ɫ̪] [l] latha
[ɫ̪a.a]
'a day' 		a latha
[ə la.a]
'day (voc.)'
[ʎ] [l] leabhar
[ʎɔːɾ]
'a book' 		a leabhair
[ə lɔːɾʲ]
'book (voc.)'
[rˠ] [r] ruith
[rˠuç]
'run (imperative)' 		ruith
[ɾuç]
'ran'


Restrictions

Initial <sp>, <st>, <sg>, and sometimes <sn> (depending upon the dialect) do not undergo lenition.

Lenition triggers

Lenition is a pervasive feature of Gaelic morphology, and there is no simple way to characterise the environments in which lenition appears. Nevertheless, it is possible to list the diverse environments that trigger lenition. In the following list, the environments are sorted by the part of speech of the lenited word.

Lenition on verbs

  • triggered by the negative particle cha(n)
  • triggered by the negative interrogative/subordinating particle nach
  • triggered by past tense particles (do/null)/(do) dh’
  • triggered by the relative particle a

Lenition on nouns

  • triggered by some forms of the definite article an/a’
  • triggered by some possessive agreement markers
  • triggered by some prepositions
    • bho
    • gu
    • do
    • anns a'
    • air
    • aig
  • triggered by the numerals aon ‘one’ and dhà ‘two’
  • realises some number/case inflection on nouns
    • words beginning with labials and velars in the masculine genitive after the article (after a' -- and an if before f) (also s --> t-s)
    • words beginning with labials and velars in the masculine dative after the article (after a' -- and an if before f) (also s--> t-s)
    • words beginning with labials and velars in the feminine common case after the article (after a' and an/__f) (also s --> t-s)
  • obligatory on right-hand member of some compounds
  • triggered by some derivational prefixes


Lenition on adjectives

    • triggered by intensifiers glè ‘very’, ro ‘too’, and fior ‘truly’
  • realizes gender/number/case inflection on adjectives.
    • after feminine nouns
    • after dative masculine nouns

See also

External links

References

  • Cram, David (1975). Grammatical and phonological conditioning of initial mutations in Scottish Gaelic. Leuvense Bijdragen 64: 363-375.
  • Gillies, William (1993). Scottish Gaelic. In The Celtic Languages (Martin J. Ball and James Fife, eds.): 145-227.
  • Hamp, Eric P. (1951). Morphophonemes of the Keltic mutations. Language 27: 230-247.
  • Lieber, Rochelle (1983). New developments in autosegmental morphology: consonant mutation. Proceedings of WCCFL 2: 165-175.
  • Oftedal, Magne (1962). A morphemic evaluation of the Celtic initial mutations. Lochlann 2: 93-102.
  • Pyatt, Elizabeth (1997). An Integrated Model of the Phonology and Syntax of Celtic Mutations. Doctoral dissertation, Harvard University.
  • Rogers, Henry (1972). The initial mutations in modern Scots Gaelic. Studia Celtica 7: 63-65.
  • Stewart, Thomas W. (2004). Mutation as Morphology: Bases, Stems, and Shapes in Scottish Gaelic. Doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University.
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