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Studies in African Lingulstics Volume 5, Number 1, Harch 197q ON TIlE DYNAMICS OF VELARIZATIOU AND LADIALIZATIOIl: SOME BAIiTU EVIDl!:NCEl Fritz Ponelis University of South Africa 1. Introduction In tbe literature the term Isecondary articulation I is used in two (i) It frequently serves as a descriptive, claSSificatory tag, de­ noting the structure of segments such as kW and pY; cf. Abercrombie (1967:61): IT ... there are occasions when it is necessary to dray atten­ tion to aspects of the vocal tract other than place and manner of the stricture, and when this is so, we do it in terms of secondary articu­ lations ••• We have here ..• another dimension of classification for seg­ ments •••. " Compare also Ladefoged (1971: 59] : "Sounds can also be mo­ dified by secondary articulations which occur at the same time as tbe primary articulations." (11) Chcmsky ana iialle [1968:307 ff.J account for sense (i) but point out that (i) is the result of a PROCESS, viz. regressive assi­ ~ (cf. for instance (1968:300». We shall be attending primarily to sense (ii) in respect to labialization and velarization. The strict sense of velarization (labl.albation) is: regressive as­ similation of a consonant to the velarity (labiality) of the following sonorant. The regressive assimilation trig&ers a whole train of pro­ cesses, and velarization (labialization) 'Will frequently be used in this sense: a whole set of processes resulting from velarization proper (labialization proper). The main factors of velo.rization and IProfessor E.ll. van Wyk bas read nnd commented on an earlier draft. I have benefited greatly from numeroua suggestions by Professors Larry lIyman and Thomas Hinnebusch. My thanks to each of these &entlesnen; the responsibility remains my own, naturally. labialiution vhved as fUnctionally unified sets of different processes are regressive assimilation (velarization and labialization proper) and narroviag (also called hardening): (1) Velarization p. Velarizatlon proper pf Harrowing (Fricatlvization) Labialize.tioD. kW Labializa.tion proper kp HarroviDg (CJ.os'I.U'e) In ten&8 of tongue body' participation the secondar,y articulationa may be classified as tollowa ~ (2) Tongue ~icipation ~ - + La.blalisation , : PbaryngealizatioD. 'longue back Palatalization Velar! zation This classification is formally--------------- reflected &iii fo1lovll [Cholneky" and Halle 1968:306. 310): 0) LabilLlizat!on: [+ round] 1.e. [kW] l'haryngeall zatlon: low l.e. [pJ)j [++ billet 1 Velarlzation: [+ high] i.e. [pO) + back Pal.at&l.Uation: [+ high] i.lI. [p'i - back 29 Such e. classification 1a not &n adequate reflex ion of the similarity and complementarity of la.blalization and velarizatlon: (4) (1) Both are [+ grave] superimpositions. (ii) Labialization is initiated with velars and velarizatlon wi th lablal.s. (iii) Labialization ma.y result in velar segments and velarization in la.bia1s. The ambivalence of [+ round] seems to be part of the problm. This feature is characteristic of vowels and Is related to [+ anterior. - co­ ronall. i.e. [+ labial] in consonants. The problem. Is explored in Vennema.nn and Ladefoged [1972] and in Reighard [1972]. A secondary articulation is a. type of regressive assimilation. This has been substantiated for labialization, velarization and palataliza­ tion. but not, as far as I know, for pharyngealization. Palstal.ization and pha.ryngeal.ize.tion are excluded from f'urther consideration. I shall try to account for the following main features of labiali­ zation and velarization: (5) Labialization: gwa > gba > Sa (g0a) Velarization: bwa > bga > ga Labialization is initiated with velars and velarization with labi&l.s. In both processes the secondary articulation is hardened, i.e. develops (maxiJnoJ.ly) into a closure. Finally, the processes may result in single segments, velars in the case of velarization and labia.l.s (implosives and, rather peripherally, clicks) under labialization. 2. Shona Velarization 2.1. Velarization as resressive assimilation. Velarization is a pro­ cess of regressive assimilation under which a consonant takes on the velarity of a following [+ grave] Bonorant. The process progreSl!les di­ mensionally along the axes of place and manner of articulation: (1) labials are affected before linguals, (11) glides are converted to ob­ struent glides, then to fricatives and finally to stops. 30 My data are draim almoat exclusively trom Dokc [1931]. the extensive pioneering stUdy of the procca.. In Bantu velarizatlon manifeats it.elf most clearly in ShaDlL, especially the Zezuru dialect ot Central Shana, but 1s attested also in Venda, Runell, Bylb&. Tumbuka and Hang'anj&. It. occurrence in Sotho a.nd NgWli is subject to debate, but cf. PoDel1a [1913). The fact that velariation is phonologically & process ot regres­ sive assimilation 1s obscured in much of the literature, since on the one hand the w ca.uaiD8 velarizatiOD is considered extraneous and OD the other hand Dokela statement ot tbe prace.a sess to be at variance vith Its regressive &lII!Iimllatory nature. 2.1.~. The status of w. Chcmsky ancl Halle [1966:310] state that "La_ bialization combines quite cOllUl1Olll.y with velarization •••• " Trubetzkoy [1969:137-8} distinguishes between the correlation of full gutturllliza.­ tiOD (i.e. extreae velarization) and the correlation ot labiovelariza­ tion. Trubetzkoy and ChomaQ' aDd H&ll.e obviously tollow Doke [1931;109 tt.l, whO d18tinguisbed between lpJ.ain v.arization', and 'Telarization with semi-vowel', as in (6) 'below. The latter process is viewed by Trubetzkoy and Chomsky and Halle to be a. product ot vela.rization com­ bined with 1a.bialization. (6) &. Plain2 pke ... 'child' rsmbf8 'bUf'f'al.o' pklsa 'absorb' s...,_ 'be ha.ted' kupkeri!l 'to suckle' Ill)en8 'owner' bfaf\CI 'crush' ml]i!lri!l 'flint' rusambga 'accident' 2.rbese are all Z.zuru tOl'llS. t is & voiced palatal. fricatiVe. other graphs used elsewhere In the text are 0, & voiceless pal.atal tricative (the cOJlgeDer ot f); w. i ad Vi are used to indicate extremely narrow glides, respectively VOiced, voiceless and naaalized. The term. 'obstruent glide' will be uaed to characterize this Bet of segment. coJ.l ectlvely. 31 (6) b. With semi-vowel t kwana 'li ttle children' tan'Jwo 'be picked' utkwu 'these' rywa 'fight' t kwaenda 'they travelled' ry.wadzCl 'pain' dywe 'drip, of rain' biskwa • be removed' tand'twa 'be driven away' skIO'er-a 'spend the time' kunrJwa 'to drink' Izywl 'word' mun'jwe 'finger' Clearly pk and tkw do not illustrate tvo distinct processes, viz. velarization as opposed to 'lsbiovelarization I but I:lerely belong to dif­ ferent steps in the SBllle velarizstion processes. Velarization affects labials first, hence they would be first to undergo a subsequent step. Le. dropping of w. Doke gives very fe'll examples3 of velarhed labials in combination with w • whereas all his examples of 'velarization with semi-vowel' contain dental and alveolar segments. 2.1.2. Doke's stateJ:Ient of the process. "Velarization is brought about by an abnormal raisinp, of the back of the tongue towards the soft palate ...• instead of the usual slight raising effected in pronouncing the velar semi-vowel w "[Doke 1931:109]. A phonological explanation of this abnormal raising of the back of the tongue would necessarily entail as­ similation to the preceding obstruent or nasal. This seems to be extre­ mely plausible but conflicts with the conception of velarization as a regressive assimilatory process. The matter may be cleared up if Doke's definition is taken to apply to a later step in the process. First a consonant takes on the velarity of a followill8 sonore.nt: C ....,. CCI ; then d U ~ Cw by other rules and Cw -. C~ by Glide narrowing. On the surface Doke's !farrowine; (= abnormal raising) analysis seems to handle the facts quite eler,antly. This would derive the Tavare. form -poa 'dry up' in the following way: -pwa 'dry up' -+ -POa (by Narrow­ ing). The glide /w/ is narrowed ultimately to e. voiceless palatal fricative 9. 3Thcse examples involve nasals. Their significance is discussed below. 32 'l'bia .analysis, however I docs not predict the Korekore tom -twa I vbere the gli4e is retained. ; henee 0 require. a different expl.all&tion. The derivation of thiB particular form. Is given at the end at the sec­ tion OD velarization (sec. 4). It briefq 8IIIOUD.ts to the follovipg: -pwa 'dry up' ~ -pllwa (by VeluizatioD. etc.) -+ -!)We (Cluater Initial. Deletion). The velarlzatlon an&l.yais proposed in this paper also accounts for forms such as the following (where nonlabial. segment. precede the glide) -batws 'hold' ~ -bat9'lla. twana 'little children' ~ tkwana (ct. (6) tor more examples). The NarrowiDS analysis ca.nnot explaiu the I extraueous' C; and k. 2.2. Initial doma.ltl. e.nd lipread of velarization. VelarizatioD in Shana is IDduced bJ w. ar1alng f'rC811 Proto Bantu -!.IV becoming 'fI'I : "bUll ,. bwa.4 (1) -p~- 'd%y up,5 -pC;i!!I I -pka -bda- 'dog' -bwa • -bye , -bga -d~4d- 'become Ul' -rWlInil • -rlfWllrD 2.2.1. 'rbe an'ected spent.. The data allow only 8. fev suggeatlollS. (8) [: :;J precedes ~ :!] Labia..ls precede alveolars. b. [.. son] precedes [+ son] [p • b] preced.e [m]. It ~ 5 • r • z] precede [nl. c. (- voice] precedes [+ voice] [pj precede. [bj. lIProto Bantu -IW iadue •• l&bla1hatloll. a rule that prece4ea Telarl­ _tiOD in t:lae. 5'lhe Butu proto citatioDS are tatell trca Guthrie [1961, 1910~ 1911]. Gutbrie Uats hh starred tOI'lllS by a C.B. (. COIII.parative Series) 1l1.III.bv; these are DOt lod1cate4 her. since the It.. are arrused alphabetically aod CM 'be ••117 loc.ted. 33 That labials precede !l.lveolars has already been pointed out 1n sec. ~.2. above. It follows from an inventory such as Stevick's [1964:59] for M&nyika: (9) by dw gw PI( tw kw m'J The labial series has already reached an advanced stage of velarization.
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