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    Complex vowel sequences
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    Apart from long and short monophthongs, Frisian has diphthongs, tautomorphemic sequences of two (different) monophthongs. Besides that, a stem can also contain sequences of three or four vowels. This section provides overviews of both kinds of vocalic sequences.

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    Apart from long and short monophthongs, Frisian allows for combinations of monophthongs in one and the same morpheme. A diphthong, for example, is a combination of two different tautomorphemic vowels, which end up as the nucleus of a syllable. The phonetic implementation of such a sequence is a tautosyllabic unit of two vowels, between which there is a smooth articulatory transition. The Frisian diphthongs are shown in (1).

    Example 1

    The Frisian diphthongs
    a. Falling diphthongs
    /aj/ rein rain
    /ɛj/ nij new
    /ʌɥ/ buis tube
    /ɔw/ blau blue
    /oj/ floite whistle
    b. Centring diphthongs
    /iə/ stien stone
    /yə/ flues membrane
    /uə/ koel cool
    /ɪə/ beam tree
    /øə/ freon friend
    /oə/ koal cabbage
    c. Rising diphthongs
    /ja/ ljacht light
    /jɛ/ frjemd strange
    /jɔ/ ljocht light
    /jɪ/ ljisk groin
    /jø/ pjuts prick
    /jo/ rjocht right
    /jy/ njúnt(sje) to hum
    /ju/ stjûne stem
    /wa/ kloarkje to suck
    /wɛ/ swel swallow
    /wɪ/ twirre whirl
    /wø/ swurd sword
    /wo/ luorkje to suck
    /wi/ dwyl dizzy
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    The close vowels (vocoids) /i/, /y/, and /u/ are assumed to underlie the glides [j], [ɥ], and [w]. This is in line with Booij (1995:8-9), who specifies the Dutch glide /j/ as "a palatal vocoid, with the same phonetic properties as the [i] except that it occurs in consonantal positions in the syllable; it has a shorter duration than the [i]". For the sake of convenience and exposition, however, the glides are transcribed as /j/, /ɥ/, and /w/ throughout, also in underlying representations.

    A stem can also contain sequences of three or four vowels, which are made up of a glide and a long vowel or diphthong. This is shown in (2):

    Example 2

    Sequences of three or four vowels
    a. Rising diphthong + glide
    /woj/ muoike aunt
    /waj/ moaist most beautiful
    b. Long vowel + glide
    /u:j/ bloei blossom
    /o:j/ roai alignment
    /a:j/ aai egg
    /i:w/ ieu century; age
    c. Glide + long vowel
    /ju:/ stjûne stem, stern
    /jo:/ skriuw(e) to write
    /ja:/ ja yes
    /wi:/ swiid superb
    /we:/ dwep(e) to gush
    /wa:/ twa two
    d. Glide + falling diphthong
    /jɔw/ fjouwer four
    /jʌɥ/ oan'e jui wêze to whirl
    /wɛj/ swij(e) to keep silent
    e. Glide + centring diphthong
    /wiə/ swiet sweet
    /juə/ tsjoen enchantment
    /wɪə/ kwea evil; harm
    /joə/ tsjoar tether
    f. Glide + long vowel + glide
    /ja:j/ jaai(e) to scud
    /ju:j/ joei(e) to frolic
    /wa:j/ swaai(e) to wave

    See the following topics:

    References:
    • Booij, Geert1995The phonology of DutchOxfordOxford University Press
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    ABOUT THIS TOPIC
    Author(s):
    Willem Visser
    Category:
    Frisian Phonology
    Publication date:
    07 August 2019
    Keywords:
    diphthong vowel sequence
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