Enkele aspekte van die temporele eienskappe van lang vokale en diftonge in Afrikaans

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate a few factors that influence vowel duration in Afrikaans. Special attention was given to the possible role that position of the segments in a sentence, in different modes, plays in the lengthening of vowels and any post vocalic consonants. This study consists of a theoretical study and an empirical investigation. Different factors that influence vowel duration were discussed because of the importance of keeping these factors in mind when designing the experiment. The literature study on segmental lengthening before different syntactic boundaries revealed that vowels and post vocalic consonants are sensitive to syntactic structure and that lengthening before syntactic boundaries are also influenced by different modes. In the empirical investigation 5 subjects read meaningful stimulus words in different modes. Vowel and consonant lengths were segmented by means of an analog-to digital convertor. The results indicated that vowels and consonants in Afrikaans are sensitive to syntactic structure because of the presence of significant differences in the duration of these segments before different syntactic boundaries. It was also found that differences In segmental duration occurred in word pairs as opposed to segments produced In sentences. On the other hand, differences in duration between segments in connected speech and carrier phrases were totally absent. The validity of the claim that the opposition between the rounded and un rounded vowels in Afrikaans are completely neutralized were tested in the light of the recent controversy on the assumption that any neutralization is complete. Certain conclusions and recommendations emerged from the study which have relevance for future research.