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Patterns of segment sequence simplification in some African Englishes 1
Author(s) -
BOBDA AUGUSTIN SIMO
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
world englishes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.6
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1467-971X
pISSN - 0883-2919
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-971x.2007.00520.x
Subject(s) - diphthong , coda , vowel , linguistics , consonant cluster , context (archaeology) , sequence (biology) , element (criminal law) , range (aeronautics) , consonant , history , computer science , physics , philosophy , acoustics , biology , genetics , materials science , archaeology , political science , law , composite material
There is a wide range of segment simplification patterns across African English accents, which depend on the phonological context. This paper examines, in turn, the patterns of simplification in the nucleus, in the onset, in the coda and in intervocalic clusters. Simplification in the nucleus involves the monophthongisation of diphthongs and of triphthongs, as well as the disyllabification of triphthongs; the monophthongisation of diphthongs either results in the retention of the first element of the diphthong or in the substitution of an altogether different monophthong; the simplification of triphthongs through monophthongisation consists in the retention of the first element of the sequence, but the general trend is disyllabification through the gliding of the medial element into [j] or [w]. The two patterns of simplification in the onset are the dropping of the initial consonant in some English‐based pidgins and creoles and vowel insertion. Simplification in the coda sometimes involves the dropping of one of the consonants, which may be the first, second, or third; there is also a high prevalence in east and southern African Englishes of /?/ and /i/ insertion. /?/ and /i/ insertion is also the pattern of simplification of intervocalic clusters, similarly more common in east and southern African Englishes. The complex range of simplification patterns often follow neat phonological rules a comprehensive picture of which this paper tries to capture.