2019 Linguistics Student Conference
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Sharon Hargus
University of Washington
Dex Xinag “Voiceless Unaspirates”: Not a Case of Phonologically Driven Phonetics
Athabaskan languages have been routinely described as having a three- way phonation
contrast for syllable-initial (pre-vocalic) stops and affricates (at most places of
articulation) consisting of voiceless unaspirates, voiceless aspirates, and ejectives.
In syllable-final (pre-consonantal, word-final) position, the only stops and affricates
which are allowed in the typical Athabaskan language are voiceless unaspirated, although
a few languages have variations on this basic pattern. Hupa, Dena’ina, Ahtna have
retained syllable-final ejectives as well as voiceless unaspirates, while Deg Xinag,
Holikachuk, and the lower dialect of Koyukon have developed voicing contrasts in syllable-final
position.
In this presentation I consider a question about Deg Xinag phonology posed to me by
Jeff Leer. Given that Deg Xinag has a syllable-final voicing contrast, might the syllable-initial
voiceless unaspirated stops in that language have shifted to voiced? I present phonetic
evidence that Deg Xinag syllable-initial /t/ is still /t/. I contrast Deg Xinag with
the Fort Ware dialect of Tsek’ene, where only syllable-final voiceless aspirated stops
and affricates occur, yet there is phonetic evidence that /t/ has shifted to /d/ for
some speakers. Thus formal symmetry exhibits little pressure on this aspect of either
inventory.
2019 Schedule of Events
| 8:45 Coffee & Refreshments | ||
| 9:00 | Dr. Sharon Hargus University of Washington |
Deg Xinag “Voiceless Unaspirates”: Not a Case of Phonologically Driven Phonetics |
| 10:00 | Carolyn Mousseau Applied Linguistics (MA) |
|
| 10:25 | Tara Smith Anthropology (PhD) |
Neoliberal Common Sense & Global English: Naturalization, Appropriation & Resistance |
| 10:50 Discussion | ||
| 11:00 | Scott Bushey Applied Linguistics (MA) |
Interdental Fricative Loss in Faroese and Norn |
| 11:25 | Gina Schlobohm Applied Linguistics (MA) |
Rhinoglottophilia |
| 11:50 Discussion | ||
| 12:00 | Hishinlai’ Peter Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD 2019) |
Activity Theory and Indigenous languages |
| 12:30 Lunch (Provided) | ||
| 1:00 |
Dr. Wendy Martelle & Dr. Sabine Siekmann |
Literacy for Emergent Bilinguals: Collaborative Multimodal Meaning Making 306 Gruening |
| 2:10 |
Jacob Ellana |
TBA |
| 2:35 | John Shank Linguistics (BA) |
A Sociolinguistic Study of 91Ƶn Language Ideology |
| 2:55 | Ivana Ash Linguistics (BA) |
The Verbal Aspect of the Empty Stem [pi’] in Sugt’stun |
| 3:20 Discussion | ||
| 3:30 Coffee & Refreshments | ||
| 3:40 | Alex King Linguistics (BA) |
Atret Kangiliryarat: Naming Practices of the Yupiit in Southwest 91Ƶ |
| 4:15 | Emily Dreher Linguistics (BA) |
Critical Discourse Analysis of the Linguistic Portrayal of Animal Athletes |
| 4:40 Discussion | ||