Stop contrasts in languages of Arnhem Land: From the perspective of Jawoyn, Southern Arnhem Land

Abstract

A number of languages in the Northern Territory are unusual amongst Australian Aboriginal languages in showing contrasts between two types of stops, the most salient feature of which is apparently duration of constriction. After placing the present work in context through discussion of analyses of neighbouring languages, this paper reconsiders the contrast in Jawoyn. Examination of the phonetic features that are correlated with the contrast indicate that not only duration of constriction, but also voicing through the closed phase and voice onset time play a role in its realization. Consideration is then given to the possible phonological analyses of this contrast. Three types of analysis, prosodic, segmental and geminate, are discussed, and while a prosodic interpretation of the Jawoyn data appears untenable, there is no clear evidence to indicate that either a segmental or geminate phonological analysis is more appropriate. Rather, it is argued that the evidence is 'indeterminate' at the phonological level.