Quantity in Leivu
Quantity in Leivu

Summary/Abstract: This paper presents an analysis of the acoustic characteristics of quantity in Leivu. Leivu was an Estonian linguistic enclave in North Latvia. The sound system of Leivu has similarities with that of Hargla dialect of South Estonian and it also reveals language contacts with Latvian. In the present paper spontaneous speech of two male speakers of Leivu is analysed. The quantity ratios of Leivu are compared to the ratios found in Standard and South ­Estonian. In words expected to be in Q1, the syllable duration ratio is 0.8–1.7. The smaller ratio is similar to the syllable ratio in Estonian Q1 words. Although the bigger ratio is characteristic of Estonian Q2 words, these words have significantly shorter duration of the first syllable than Q2 words. There is an overlap in syllable ratios of Q2 and Q3 words (the ratios are 1.2–2.5 and 1.8–3.1 respectively). However, the ratio under 2 is above all characteristic of Q2 words and the ratio over 2 of Q3 words. A fundamental frequency (F0) analysis shows that Q1 and Q2 words are characterised by a late F0 peak in the first syllable and Q3 words by an early F0 peak. In the case of the loss of short h in Leivu Q3 words, stød can be expected. The present analysis found only one word of this type which showed an early F0 peak and a laryngealization period.

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