モンゴル語の母音調和と母音の弱化 : 外来語を用いた分析

Abstract

In this paper I discuss the rules of vowel harmony in suffixes and vowel reduction in Khalkha Mongolian revealed by two surveys, in which native speakers were asked to add certain suffixes to loanwords. The two surveys show that vowel harmony in suffixes is affected by phonological or sociolinguistic factors such as the location of accent or whether the loanword is well-established or not. More specifically, although word-final vowels other than i, ê and e trigger vowel harmony in suffixes as a general rule, there are some other rules in competition with this rule that produce different outcomes. These are as follows: 1) When a suffix is added to a common loanword, unaccented vowels are sometimes reduced and a vowel nearer to word-initial position determines the class of vowel harmony of the suffix. 2) Vowels in suffixes sometimes harmonize with word-final accented i, ê and e, even though these are normally neutral vowels with respect to vowel harmony. 3) Vowels in suffixes sometimes harmonize with neutral vowels when more than one neutral vowel appears at the right edge of a word. 4) When a suffix is added to an uncommon loanword, the suffix vowel tends to harmonize with the word-final vowel regardless of its type. 5) The vowel 'a' functions as a default vowel. 6) The vowel 'u' is sometimes ignored by vowel harmony because of its low sonority. It is important to note that there is not an absolute order or ranking among these rules. Since some rules can be applied in the same circumstances, the result of vowel harmony varies by speaker or word. These rules also show that non-initial vowels are sometimes reduced even in loanwords, though this reduction is not systematic but lexically determined. In addition, they show that there is an interaction between vowel harmony and vowel reduction.