Pawnee
- Language Family
- Caddoan
- Subgroup
- Pawnee-Kitsai
- Area
- —
Summary
The sequence /r+h/ is realized as [hr] in most environments.
Type(s) of metathesis
| Type | Status | Optionality | Position | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. CC | Synchronic | Obligatory | Adjacent | Across morpheme boundaries |
Case types and qualities
-
- CC
-
- C1:
- Rhotic
- C2:
- Glottal fricative
Examples
/ti + ur + he:r/ --->tuhre'he is good'
/ti + ir + hisask + :hus/ --->tihrisasku 'he is called'
/ti + ur + ha:k + ca/ --->tuhrakca 'a tree is standing'
/ti + ir + hisask + :hus/ --->tihrisasku 'he is called'
/ti + ur + ha:k + ca/ --->tuhrakca 'a tree is standing'
Conditions
There are a number of factors which point to the instability of the sequence /rh/.
Phonotactics:
- the sequence does not surface anywhere in the language. It is repaired either by metathesis or by deleting the /h/, in the locative.
- /h/ always surfaces in postvocalic position (with two exceptions word-initially)
- /h/ is lost when a consonant precedes it. The observation that /h/ doesn't occur after a consonant may have something to do with the fact that all of the obstruents in the language are voiceless (though unaspirated), i.e. p, t, k, c, s. /h/ is more perceptible before a stop than after it (Mielke 2001) and /h/ doesn't occur adjacent to /s/ at all. The absence of /h/ after the two voiced sounds in the language /w, r/ may have been generalized from the earlier restriction. This is only speculation.
Instability of /h/ and /r/ even independently.
/h/ is unstable, /r/ is unstable. They delete or lenite (in the case of r) in many contexts and have restricted distributions.
- 'h' is lost when it is followed by two consonants
- 'h' is dropped when it is followed by a consonant and word boudnary
- /r/ changes to [h] before any consonant
- stems which have a final sonorant 'r' lose it when it occurs in word-final position
- the only consonant that co-occurs with /r/ is /h/. /r/ then has a very restricted distribution when it comes to consonant clusters. It can surface initially and intervocalically.
- 'r' becomes laryngeal 'h' before a consonant.
- stems which have a final sonorant 'r' lose it when it occurs in word final position
Frequency of preconsonantal /h/ aside from metathesis case.
Preconsonantal /h/ is relatively common, as is [hr] due to phonotactics of language as well as processes such as lenition.
- /t/ is realized as [h] before /r/
- /r/ changes to [h] before any consonant
These factors point to the preference for /h/ in postvocalic position
Phonotactics:
- the sequence does not surface anywhere in the language. It is repaired either by metathesis or by deleting the /h/, in the locative.
- /h/ always surfaces in postvocalic position (with two exceptions word-initially)
- /h/ is lost when a consonant precedes it. The observation that /h/ doesn't occur after a consonant may have something to do with the fact that all of the obstruents in the language are voiceless (though unaspirated), i.e. p, t, k, c, s. /h/ is more perceptible before a stop than after it (Mielke 2001) and /h/ doesn't occur adjacent to /s/ at all. The absence of /h/ after the two voiced sounds in the language /w, r/ may have been generalized from the earlier restriction. This is only speculation.
Instability of /h/ and /r/ even independently.
/h/ is unstable, /r/ is unstable. They delete or lenite (in the case of r) in many contexts and have restricted distributions.
- 'h' is lost when it is followed by two consonants
- 'h' is dropped when it is followed by a consonant and word boudnary
- /r/ changes to [h] before any consonant
- stems which have a final sonorant 'r' lose it when it occurs in word-final position
- the only consonant that co-occurs with /r/ is /h/. /r/ then has a very restricted distribution when it comes to consonant clusters. It can surface initially and intervocalically.
- 'r' becomes laryngeal 'h' before a consonant.
- stems which have a final sonorant 'r' lose it when it occurs in word final position
Frequency of preconsonantal /h/ aside from metathesis case.
Preconsonantal /h/ is relatively common, as is [hr] due to phonotactics of language as well as processes such as lenition.
- /t/ is realized as [h] before /r/
- /r/ changes to [h] before any consonant
These factors point to the preference for /h/ in postvocalic position
Motivations
[Editor's note] An /h/ does not occur after /r/ or any other consonant in the language. Metathesis serves as a repair strategy to avoid an otherwise ill-formed sequence.
Symbols
Comments
Bibliography
- Parks, Douglas R. 1976. A Grammar of Pawnee. Garland Publishing, Inc.; New York & London.