Open AccessON the high non-expanded vowels of Yoruboid
Author(s) -
Hounkpati B.C. Capo
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
studies in african linguistics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.178
H-Index - 4
eISSN - 2154-428X
pISSN - 0039-3533
DOI - 10.32473/sal.v16i1.107506
Subject(s) - yoruba , vowel harmony , vowel , mid vowel , linguistics , relative articulation , philosophy , formant
A current debate going on among Yoruba linguists is the existence and phonological status of the high non-expanded vowels. Indeed while Igala, Isekiri and many Yoruba dialects exhibit a seven-vowel system, other Yoruba dialects exhibit a ·nine-vowel system (including i and o), both types showing however interesting vowel co-occurrence restrictions. Given this situation, some scholars argue that proto-Yoruba and proto-Yorubold had a nine-vowel system with cross-height vowel harmony, while others claim that they had a seven-vowel system. The present paper reviews both positions and suggests another alternative; in particular it shows how cross-height vowel harmony came about in Yoruboid.