Linguist Forum

Languages => Language-specific analysis => Topic started by: freknu on January 23, 2014, 06:47:36 AM

Title: Norse: Syllable length (syllable weight)
Post by: freknu on January 23, 2014, 06:47:36 AM
Technically it's called "syllable weight", I believe, but "syllable length" is the traditional term and for this post it shouldn't cause any trouble.

Now, phonemically it is syllabic length, but phonetically it is rime length (I think it's called "rhyme" as well). This means that a word is fundamentally divided into one onset and one or more rimes. The onset either doesn't carry length or is always short (depending on the analysis), while the rime determines the syllabic length.

Thus:

skr.oll.ut
/σ.σ.σ/
[ω.ρ.ρ]
/Ø-long-short/

A short vowel or short consonant is considered a short element. A long vowel, diphthong, long consonant, or consonant cluster is considered a long element.

Due to the phonotactics of the language a consonant cluster following a short vowel {VCC} is equal to a long syllable with a long consonant /VCː/, thus the secondary long syllable only has a single pattern.

The following is a list of the possible syllabic patterns:

Short syllable /σ/ [ρ]

Long syllable /σː/ [ρː]

Long syllable /σː2/ [ρː2]

Overlong syllable /σːː/ [ρːː]

Aside from using "syllabic length" rather than the more correct "syllabic weight", would you say this is technically correct and plausible? That is, the theory behind it is valid.