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1. Lexical Diffusion

1. Lexical Diffusion. What is lexical diffusion? definition: a sound change begins in a small subset of morphemes (including vocabulary forms). This change is lexically gradual, but phonetically abrupt.

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1. Lexical Diffusion

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  1. 1. Lexical Diffusion • What is lexical diffusion? definition:a sound change begins in a small subset of morphemes (including vocabulary forms). This change is lexically gradual, but phonetically abrupt. In the change from phoneme X to phoneme Y, certain phonemes undergo the change directly (lexically gradual), but for a time, others will show fluctuation between phonemes X and Y. e.g., fluctuation between literary and colloquial pronunciations in Chinese e.g., fluctuation between sociolinguistic variables in English bears on the question of how language change is “implemented” or transmitted through the phonology of the language; “wellentheorie” The “transmission” problem: spread of a change through the speech output and internalized grammar of a native speaker, and through the speech community as a whole.

  2. 2. The Neogrammarian View • How does lexical diffusion differ from Neogrammarian sound change? Neogrammarian sound change is: phonetically gradual: proceeding by minute and inaudible increments lexically abrupt: operating simultaneously in all eligible lexical items and for all speakers in the speech community easier to see how Neogrammarian sound change may apply in some changes... e.g.) in cases of assimilation: Latin septem > Italian sette ...than in others: e.g.) in cases of metathesis: WestSaxon aksian > Modern English ask

  3. 3. Examples • The Yue group:

  4. 4. (a)-tensing in Philadelphia • A case of lexical split? • Conditioning Factors favoring tensing: • before C when in a closed syllable ( x hammer vs. √ ham) • except for Level 2 suffixes (-ing) • weak word condition (I can vs. tin can) • derivational suffixes (variable output) • strong verbs ending in nasals remain lax (ran, swam, began) • vowels followed by voiced stops are lax, except for mad, bad, glad • Evidence from the speech community (King of Prussia) • “planet” -- in a class by itself

  5. 5. Revisiting Regularity • Does lexical diffusion rule out the possibility of phonetic conditioning? • The difficulty of residual forms • Revisiting Atayalic: velar or labial place of articulation of a final consonant is influenced by the place of articulation of the initial consonant (particularly where this consonant is a stop) • Chaozhou revisited: borrowings from literary strata • merger of MC tone III [+voi] initials and tone II [+voi] = Chaozhou 2b • vernacular register vs. literary register

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