Xi Zhang, Dresher B.E. Contrast in Manchu vowel systems

University of Toronto. Presented at the 1st International Conference on Manchu-Tungus Studies (ICMTS 1). University of Bonn, August 28 – September 1, 2000. — 30 p.Contrast plays an important role in accounting for the patterning of vowel systems in the Manchu languages. The phonological representation of a vowel depends in part on what other vowels it contrasts with. We will show that although Written Manchu /i/ phonetically has advanced tongue root (ATR), it is not contrastively ATR, and hence does not trigger ATR harmony. Similarly, Written Manchu /u/ is phonetically, but not contrastively, labial. We will also argue for a particular way of determining contrastiveness, in terms of a contrastive hierarchy of features. Our analysis of the written Manchu contrastive hierarchy is further supported by synchronic and diachronic evidence from spoken Manchu and Xibe.