The Phonology of Girirra
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Date
1993-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Girirra is a language assumed to belong to the Cushitic language
family, particularly to the Lowland East Cushitic sub-group. It is a newly
"discovered" language and as far as the writer knows, this is the first
attempt to describe it.
The main purpose of this study is to examine the sound system oi
this language.
In the study, twelve distinctive features are assumed to characterize
all the sound segments of the lenguage. The thesis has identified a total of
24 sound segments. Length in each segment is considered to be
distinctive.
The segments are represented in terms of feature-hierarchy (or
ieeture geometry). This means that individuel fea.tures are organized
hierarchically under superordinate autosegmental nodes known a.s class
nodes. The class nodes are themselves dominated by yet a higher level
class node which is referred to as the root node. This in turn is linked to the
skeletal tier. This model is a.ssumed to provide the motivation for the
assimilatory processes in Girirra. which includes, lebializ ation, nasalization,
place a.nd voice assimil ation. end glottalizetion
The syllable structu re of Girirre. is also examined within the non-linear
approech of phonology. The sylleble structure provides em edequate
explanation for certain phonological processes such as insertion. deletion
and gemination. Thus. we insert a syllable in a word to breek en unwanted
cluster and delete a syllable to maintain the wellformedness condition of a
word. Consonant or vowel lengthening (geminate) is also another
phonological process that could be expressed with the help of syllable
structu re .
The 'Miter hopes that the study is significant in providing a
pre liminary e.nalysis of the language. undescribed up to now and in testing
some of the assumptions of phonological the ories proposed on the basis
of other languages.
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Phonology