tone languages

Is Turkish a tone language?

[Tdol]

I don't know- I'll ask ssome Turkish friends and come back on this.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by dmt_mst

Is Turkish a tone language?

Turkish is not a tone language, but it does have a special phonetic feature known as synharmonism or vowel harmony, which means, the vowels in a given word belong to the same vowel class.

All the best,

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by Casiopea

Turkish is not a tone language, but it does have a special phonetic feature known as synharmonism or vowel harmony, which means, the vowels in a given word belong to the same vowel class.

All the best,

Wow! That was great! :)

[Tdol]

I'm not sure that I get what it means too clearly, though.

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by tdol

I'm not sure that I get what it means too clearly, though.

I don't either, but that bit exceeded my knowledge of Turkish by leaps and bounds. :wink:

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by tdol

I'm not sure that I get what it means too clearly, though.

From the root vowel, we can predict what the affix vowel will be. For example, if the root vowel is /o/ (e.g, son "end") and the affix vowel is /i/ (e.g, -in genitive singular), then the affix vowel /i/ will share the same place of articulation, with respect to roundness and/or backness, with the root vowel /o/, like this,

Turkish data
Root: son
Genitive Singular Affix: -in
==> sonun

Note, the affix vowel /i/ is pronounced as "u", a round vowel or a vowel produce with rounded lips. Both "u" and "o" share the articulatory feature [+round]. That's vowel harmony.

If, say, the affix vowel is /e/ (i.e. -ler "genitive plural), then /e/ will share the same place of articulation as the root vowel /o/, like this,

Root: son
Nominative Plural Affix: -ler
==> sonlar

Note, the affix vowel /e/ is pronounced as "a", a non-high vowel. Both "e" and "a" share a similar articulatory feature. They are produced with the tongue situated in the lower part of the oral cavity (mouth).

The root and affix vowels are said to be in harmony because they share similar features. The speaker modifies the affix vowel so that is shares articulatory properties or harmonizes with the root vowel.

SOURCE http://www.u.arizona.edu/ic/heiberg/turkish/data.html

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by Casiopea

From the root vowel, we can predict what the affix vowel will be. For example, if the root vowel is /o/ (e.g, son "end") and the affix vowel is /i/ (e.g, -in genitive singular), then the affix vowel /i/ will share the same place of articulation, with respect to roundness and/or backness, with the root vowel /o/, like this,

Turkish data
Root: son
Genitive Singular Affix: -in
==> sonun

Note, the affix vowel /i/ is pronounced as "u", a round vowel or a vowel produce with rounded lips. Both "u" and "o" share the articulatory feature [+round]. That's vowel harmony.

If, say, the affix vowel is /e/ (i.e. -ler "genitive plural), then /e/ will share the same place of articulation as the root vowel /o/, like this,

Root: son
Nominative Plural Affix: -ler
==> sonlar

Note, the affix vowel /e/ is pronounced as "a", a non-high vowel. Both "e" and "a" share a similar articulatory feature. They are produced with the tongue situated in the lower part of the oral cavity (mouth).

The root and affix vowels are said to be in harmony because they share similar features. The speaker modifies the affix vowel so that is shares articulatory properties or harmonizes with the root vowel.

SOURCE http://www.u.arizona.edu/ic/heiberg/turkish/data.html

Wow, again! Have you studied Turkish, Cas?