Salience and typology of epenthetic vowels: case from loanword adaptation

Abstract

Lee, Juhee. 2008. Salience and typology of epenthetic vowels: case from loanword adaptation. Linguistic Research 25(1), 83-101. Lombardi (2002) assumes that epenthetic vowel is central vowels such as [ ], and [ ]. They are universally the least marked, followed by [i], which is an optimal epenthetic vowel in languages that do not have central vowels. On the other hand, Kenstowicz (2003) and Steriade (2003) argue that similar judgments derive from a perceptual map that allows speakers to access the relative similarity of any pair of sounds in a given context. In this paper, I shall focus on the default pattern of vowel epenthesis from a typological perspective. To do so, I examined the typology of epenthetic vowels. Focusing on default patterns, I also showed how loanword models function and run through cross‐linguistic data. Throughout the study, I argue that front and high vowels are preferred when compared with back, low or rounded vowels since they are articulatorily simple and then minimize pronunciation efforts. (Kyung Hee University)