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- Volume 9, Issue 2, 2023
Asia-Pacific Language Variation - Volume 9, Issue 2, 2023
Volume 9, Issue 2, 2023
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Variation in the Fataluku voiced coronal (j)
Author(s): James Grama, Tyler M. Heston and Melody Ann Rosspp.: 125–155 (31)More LessAbstractThis paper represents the first variationist investigation of the voiced coronal phone (j) in Fataluku, a Papuan language of Timor-Leste. Here, we implement the Boruta algorithm at the front end of our analysis pipeline to quantify predictor importance, then use classification trees and mixed-effects regression to disentangle observed effects. Analysis suggests that word position is highly predictive of (j) realization, with glides more likely word-medially and obstruents word-initially. Region is an important predictor word-medially; speakers in Tutuala show nearly categorical [j], indicating strong allophony. Outside of Tutuala, medial tokens vary according to gender and education; among speakers with limited formal education, men show higher rates of glides than women, but speakers with secondary education exhibit higher obstruent rates and no gender differences. Initial tokens, by contrast, are undergoing a change in progress towards affricate realizations. We interpret these findings in the context of locally-specific conceptions of place for Fataluku people in Timor-Leste, particularly that of Tutuala.
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Directional constructions in Matukar Panau
Author(s): Kira Davey and Danielle Barthpp.: 156–194 (39)More LessAbstractThe Oceanic language Matukar Panau has three equivalent morphosyntactic strategies for describing the direction of the event represented by a verb, with a system of ten directional morphemes that can appear in each construction. This variation is explored using a corpus from Matukar Panau and analysed quantitatively with Bayesian regression analyses to assess what factors influence the choice of directional construction. Variables pertaining to the lexical verb and the directional morphemes are found to be the most important factors affecting the variation in the directional system. Sociolinguistic factors are shown to play a less significant role. The findings have implications for the grammaticalization of directional elements, as well as the typology of directional constructions in Oceanic languages.
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Sociophonetic variation in the alveolar lateral in Yami
Author(s): Li-Fang Lai and Shelome Goodenpp.: 195–238 (44)More LessAbstractThis paper examines lateral (/l/) variation in Yami, an indigenous language of Orchid Island, Taiwan. New acoustic evidence on F2–F1 distance and duration shows that palatalized laterals [lj] in Yami are characterized by greater formant distance and longer duration. These acoustic correlates are influenced by a mixed bag of social and linguistic factors, indicating the need for a coordinated assessment of these factors. Results also suggest that in general, younger, less-rooted, and Mandarin-dominant speakers have a narrower formant distance and shorter duration, indicating a less palatal-like /l/ pronunciation. The loss of [lj] among these speakers may be linked to a rapidly changing linguistic ecology, which fuels cross-linguistic transfer from Mandarin, the language of communication with outsiders. Since [lj] only occurs in Yami, younger speakers may have converged towards Mandarin and predominantly use [l]s, leading to a restructuring process in Yami phonology.
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Variation in the bird-name lexicon in Qaqet (East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea)
Author(s): Henrike Frye and Aung Sipp.: 239–264 (26)More LessAbstractBirds are of great cultural importance to the Qaqet-Baining people of East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea. In this paper, we investigate whether there are differences in people’s ability to name common birds in the local environment, and focus primarily on the variables gender and location. We showed pictures of local birds to small groups of Qaqet speakers in two villages—one located in an area of significant deforestation—and asked them to name them. Overall, men were able to name more birds, as were people from the village associated with greater forest cover. Our results show that gender, environmental degradation and shift to the local lingua franca Tok Pisin may all be responsible for the variation in Qaqet people’s ethno-ornithological lexicon.
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