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Language and Linguistics
Vol. 21:2 (2020) ► pp.175–212

Uvulars and uvularization in Tangut phonology

| CRLAO-INALCO

Tangut, a mediaeval Qiangic language (Sino-Tibetan family) distinguishes three grades (děng 等). The traditional Sofronov-Gong reconstruction of this distinction postulates different degrees of medial yod: Grade I {-Ø-}, Grade II {-i-}, Grade III {-j-}. The yods, however, are not supported by the transcriptional evidence. Based on cognates between Tangut and Rgyalrongic languages, this study proposes the uvularization hypothesis: Tangut syllables have contrastive uvularization. Grade I/II syllables are uvularized, while Grade III syllables are plain. For phonological velars, uvularized syllables trigger a uvular allophone, while plain syllables trigger a velar allophone. Tangut uvularization is an instance of a common typological feature in Qiangic languages, that of Guttural Secondary Vocalic Articulations (GSVA), variously termed uvularization, velarization, tenseness, or Retracted Tongue Root (RTR). Recognizing Tangut grades as a case of Qiangic GSVA has far-ranging potential consequences for Sino-Tibetan comparative linguistics.

Keywords: Tangut, Qiangic languages, uvularization, Guttural Secondary Vowel Articulation
Article outline
  • 1.Reconstruction of Tangut phonology: State of the art
  • 2.Grades in Tangut phonology
    • 2.1Establishing grades in Tangut
    • 2.2Traditional values given to Tangut grades
    • 2.3Tibetan, Sanskrit and Chinese transcription evidence does not support -i- for Grade II
    • 2.4Tibetan and Sanskrit transcription evidence does not support -j- for Grade III
  • 3.Uvular initials in Tangut
    • 3.1Tangut grade corresponds to Japhug Rgyalrong velar/uvular distinction
    • 3.2Exceptions to the correspondence
  • 4.The uvularization hypothesis
    • 4.1Uvulars in Tangut
    • 4.2Guttural Secondary Vocalic Articulations in Qiangic languages
    • 4.3The uvularization hypothesis
  • 5.Discussion
    • 5.1Qiangic GSVA vs. classical cases of phonological tongue root position
    • 5.2Uvularized vowels from compression of uvular elements
    • 5.3Reconsidering the transcription evidence under the uvularization hypothesis
      • 5.3.1A possible orthographical device in the Tibetan transcription for Tangut uvulars
      • 5.3.2Grade-III syllables with <-y-> in Tibetan transcription
      • 5.3.3The curious case of R.19 = 20
    • 5.4Elimination of -j- and pre-Tangut
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at [email protected].

Published online: 2 April 2020
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https://doi.org/10.1075/lali.00060.gon
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