Variation and Change in Hawaiʻi Creole Vowels A

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Variation and Change in Hawaiʻi Creole Vowels A VARIATION AND CHANGE IN HAWAIʻI CREOLE VOWELS A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAIʻI AT MĀNOA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN LINGUISTICS MAY 2015 By James M. Grama Dissertation Committee: Katie Drager, Chairperson Victoria Anderson Robert Blust Patricia Donegan Marta Gonzalez-Lloret Keywords: Hawaiʻi Creole, Pidgin, variation, change, vowels Copyright © 2015 by James Matthew Grama ii To the people of Hawaiʻi, whose stories have guided this research. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This has been quite the experience. For as long as I have been in the business of reading dissertations, I have loved reading the acknowledgements that foregrounded the research. For all the wonderful insights and new ideas cultivated in the hundreds of pages of thought-provoking research, it was in the acknowledgements where the human face of the dissertation shined brightest. The more I thought about writing my own acknowledgements, the more I realized that I love reading them so much not just because they are outpourings of love and affection for the people in the author’s life, but also the acknowledgements are the place where I can unapologetically recognize every person that has helped make this work what it is. A dissertation (and really, all research) is as much a product of the person that writes it as it is a product of the data discussed, and no person does anything as daunting and involved as a dissertation alone. In a significant way, these people, my friends and family, are every bit as responsible for this dissertation as I am. I thank you, I love you, and I can never express my full gratitude for each and every one of the people who have contributed to my life (and this dissertation, specifically) in such positive ways. There are so many people I want to thank, and I am afraid any attempt to relegate my gratitude to these few pages will fall woefully short of what I actually feel. So, while I’ve sometimes been accused of being a bit wordy, I can think of no better section to place my words than here. In these short pages, I wish to thank these people directly, as much as I reasonably can. This dissertation is as much theirs as it is mine: Melody Ann Ross – Thank you for being my partner, my happiness, my most vocal supporter, my most understanding critic, my willing editor, my sounding board, my caretaker, my friend, and my love. You have been all the things I wanted and all the things I never thought I needed, both in writing this work and in life. You have endured my struggles, celebrated my victories, and you have never wavered in your support of me. Without you, this dissertation would have never been written. I am a better person for knowing you, a happier person for being with you, and I know that “via a discussion”, with you, anything is possible. My parents – Your love and support have been offered generously and unconditionally. You have always allowed me to find my own path, and I cannot thank you enough for the guidance and perspective you have so willingly and selflessly offered my entire life. That you’ve shown an interest in what I have chosen to do with my life is something I can never repay you for, and it speaks volumes about the people you are. I love you and thank you for this and so much else. Karrie, Bryan, Levi, and Lily – Your love and understanding have meant the world to me. The trips to San Diego to see the whole family have grounded me in a way I can scarcely articulate. You are beautiful, caring people, and I can’t thank you enough for the constant vows of love and support you have given me. Katie Drager –Without you, I would not be a linguist. You have molded and guided my understanding of linguistics, research, and to a large extent, life and how to live it. Every iv conversation we have ever had has expanded my world view, and you have always challenged me to push boundaries and test myself in ways I never considered. I cannot begin to detail my indebtedness to you for being not only the type of researcher I want to be, but the kind of adviser and mentor I want to be. Beyond that, you have been a consistent voice of reason and support, a caring confidante and friend. It means so much to me that you have invited me so many times into your home and treated me so well. Keola and Paʻi are lucky to have you. This space does not afford me adequate room to thank you completely, but suffice it to say that I will always treasure not only what you have taught me, but the way in which you have taught it to me. Patricia Donegan and David Stampe – You have always been watchful supporters and eager conversationalists. I look fondly on the long discussions we have had about vowels, (non-?) chain shifts, music, and some of the more whimsical aspects of life. You have both offered your advice without hesitation, and your perspectives have greatly impacted my own. The times spent with you both over the past six years have been irreplaceable, and you are both role models and wonderful friends. Robert Blust – Without you, I would have a duller eye for detail and be a much less- developed writer. You have contributed substantially to my development as a scholar and a person, and you are the very model of the thoroughness I wish to cultivate in my own research. I will always be thankful for the insights you’ve lent me and for being in my corner. Victoria Anderson – Your devotion and help over the years is matched only by your tireless and unwavering passion for life and your work. You are one of the most dedicated teachers I have ever met, and the passion you have for what you do is infectious. Every interaction with you has taught me something new, brightened my day, and helped put things into perspective. Thank you. Marta Gonzalez-Lloret – Thank you for your support, flexibility and availability during this process. This work and its author has benefited greatly from your insights and assistance. Mary Walworth – You were a friend as soon as I met you. From the hours we spent in Unit Mastery, battling through problem sets, to somehow fitting life around countless days under abrasive fluorescent lighting (which motivated such insightful comments as “woof” and “meow”), you have been there for and with me. I have always benefitted from and looked forward to the levity and perspective you’ve brought into my life, as well as the dedication you have to everything you do. I could not have done any of this without you, and I am so grateful for our friendship. Kent Sakoda – You are one of the most genuine and generous souls I have ever known. Our conversations over the years have only made me wish that I met you earlier in life. Your insights, and friendship have been invaluable to me, and I can’t thank you enough for your vocal support of this project. My participants – I do not personally know any of you, but I have listened to your personal stories, your laughter and struggles, accounts of your loves and losses, hopes v and regrets, triumphs and failures. Without knowing it, you have invited me into your lives. Some of you have since passed on, and your stories and memories are merely a part of what is left of you. Many of you have only just begun to make an imprint on the world. But none of you, who I have come to know from afar, are mere data points to me. Despite never personally knowing you, I feel each of you has made an impact on my own life and I have learned much from you. I thank you for allowing your stories to be shared, and I will ever remain in awe of how beautiful, complex, and sometimes heartbreaking those stories can be. Joelle Kirtley – The hours we’ve spent together have enriched me as a person and a linguist. The conversations we have had over the now six years (and counting!) we’ve known each other will ever be among my fondest memories in grad school. Your friendship, feedback, and your support, as well as your eagerness to be a sounding board during this process (and throughout grad school) has been irreplaceable and immense. Bob Kennedy – Without your interest and faith in me as an undergraduate student at the UC Santa Barbara, I would never have been motivated to pursue linguistics further. Your class on dialectology will forever be one of the most transformative experiences of my life, and I in no small part owe my entrance into linguistics to you. Deebs, Bob. My “linguists in crime” (in no particular order), John Van Way (my accountabilibuddy and close friend), Chae-eun Kim (my nuna), Mike Clauss, Stephanie Locke, Tobias Bloyd, Bodo Winter, Bing Feng, Jonathan Kuo, Hyunah Ahn, Hannah Rosenberg-Jones, Nala Lee, Katie Gao, Mónica Vidal, Tom Dougherty, Raina Heaton, Mayumi Oiwa, Kate Hardeman-Guthrie, Nozomi Tanaka, Rachel Schutz, Sean Simpson, Kavon Hooshiar, Jonny Kim, James Crippen, On-soon Lee, Eve Okura, Hiroko Sato, Akiemi Glenn, Kanjana Thepboriruk, Kaori Ueki, and Heeyeon Dennison – Each of your voices has contributed in a large way to my own, and I am greatly indebted to you for your friendship.
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