Segments vs. Clusters: Postaspiration in Sevillian Spanish

Madeline Gilbert

doi:10.3765/amp.v9i0.4909

Abstract

Sevillian Spanish is undergoing a change from preaspiration to postaspiration in /s ptk/ sequences ([pahta] -> [patha]) (Ruch & Peters, 2016). Some previous work suggests that postaspirated stops are phonologizing in Sevillian Spanish (O'Neill, 2009; Gylfadottir, 2015). In this paper, I argue that postaspirated stops are underlyingly clusters. Evidence for the cluster representation comes from two sources: sociolinguistically-conditioned variation and phonologically-conditioned alternations across word and morpheme boundaries. I then present the results of a perception experiment showing that Sevillian listeners perceive postaspiration and map it onto an underlying cluster. Listeners of another dialect (Mexican Spanish) do not perceive or interpret postaspiration. Finally, I outline an analysis in which postaspiration is the result of gradual coda reduction followed by metathesis. This kind of metathesis may be possible due, in part, to perceptual difficulties in perceiving aspiration.

Highlights

Sevillian Spanish (Western Andalusian, Southern Spain1) is undergoing a change from preaspiration to postaspiration in /s ptk/ sequences
I have argued that postaspiration in Sevillian Spanish is representationally a cluster, and that Sevillian listeners perceive it as such
Because postaspiration occurs across morpheme and word boundaries, Sevillian learners have evidence that postaspiration is a phonologically- and sociolinguistically-conditioned variant that arises from /s ptk/ clusters

Summary

Introduction

Sevillian Spanish (Western Andalusian, Southern Spain1) is undergoing a change from preaspiration to postaspiration in /s ptk/ sequences. Previous studies have found that Sevillian listeners perceive and use postaspiration in lexical decision and word identification tasks (Ruch & Harrington, 2014; Bedinghaus, 2015). These studies focus on word-internal /s ptk/ sequences, where there is no evidence for the underlying order. I present a perception study that builds on previous work by testing perception across word boundaries, providing evidence that Sevillian listeners can hear postaspiration and interpret it as deriving from /sC/ clusters.

Sevillian postaspiration is an underlying cluster

Methods

Results

Analysis sketch

Summary