Polabian Diphthongization
Polabian Diphthongization
Author(s): Paweł JanczulewiczSubject(s): Language studies, Phonetics / Phonology, Historical Linguistics, Comparative Linguistics, Descriptive linguistics
Published by: AV ČR - Akademie věd České republiky - Slovanský ústav and Euroslavica
Keywords: diphthongization; vowel fronting; Polabian language; historical linguistics of Slavic languages;
Summary/Abstract: The article deals with the issue of the diphthongal reflexes of Proto-Slavic high vowels *i, *y, *u, and tautosyllabic *ъl/*ьl in Polabian, on both synchronic and diachronic levels. The author contests the common view that the discrepancies in the spelling of the diphthong from *u in Polabian texts result from dialectal variation of its reflexes. It is proposed instead that Proto- Slavic *u fronted to *ü prior to diphthongization, eventually yielding an [aʏ]-type diphthong pan-dialectally (normalized as aü), so both features of this *ü (frontness and roundedness) were preserved in the diphthong’s off-glide. An unrounded reflex of *u is found only in the preposition / prefix *u(-), which is probably due to the later delabialization of [aʏ].
Journal: Slavia - časopis pro slovanskou filologii
- Issue Year: XCIII/2024
- Issue No: 4
- Page Range: 405-429
- Page Count: 15
- Language: English
