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The expression of vulgarity, force, severity and size: Phonaesthemic alternations in Reta and in other languages.
- Source :
-
Studies in Language . 2020, Vol. 44 Issue 3, p659-699. 41p. - Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Phonaesthemes are a common phenomenon, but they are generally not in paradigmatic opposition like morphemes are (Svantesson 2017: 6). Reta, however, has a phonaesthemic contrast /l/~/r/, where /r/-colouring of neutral base words signifies an increase in vulgarity, intensity, size or severity (e.g. ɓela 'bad' vs. ɓera 'terrible', -ool 'penis' vs. -oor 'cock'). This paper describes this phenomenon in detail, and provides a discussion as to whether it is best classified as morphological, phonaesthemic, or otherwise. We argue that, although some of the cross-linguistic criteria for phonaesthesia exclude phonaesthemic /r/ from being classified as such, it is not straightforwardly classified as either phonological or morphological. Using Kwon & Round's (2015) criteria for phonaesthesia and derivational morphology, we compare Reta phonaesthemic alternations to similar phenomena in other languages. We argue that such alternations differ fundamentally from both non-alternating phonaesthemes and morphology, and are best construed as a distinct cross-linguistic category. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 03784177
- Volume :
- 44
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Studies in Language
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 147041961
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1075/sl.19073.wil