Nyelvtudományi Közlemények 96. kötet (1998-1999)

Tanulmányok - Dezső László: Typological Comparison of Root Structuring in Uralic and Early Indo-European. [Az uráli és korai indoeurópai tőstruktúrák tipológiai összevetése] 3

Typological Comparison of Root Structuring in Uralic and Early Indo-European 13 Rédei (UEW IX) establishes three major divisions of the consonantal system of Uralic along the lines of three major phonemic oppositions: stop correlation (Verschlußkorrelation):/?/w, t/8, k/y, c/s, c/s palatal correlation: n/n, c/c, 8/ô, s/s, l/V resonant (oral-nasal) correlation: p/m, t/n, c/n, k/rj The last correlation has consequences mostly for consonant combinations requiring nasals homorganic with stops and affricates (nt, ne, nc are the only possible combinations, mp, rjk are typical ) (cf. Dezső 1998). In stop correlation the voiceless stops are opposed to voiced fricatives. In the proto-language the opposition i/o, k/y is of lesser importance because of the scarcity of 8 and y (on the problem of Ô and y cf. Honti 1992). The opposition p/w needs explanation, because from a phonetic point of view w occupies a particular position being also a semi-vowel opposed to the vowel и (cfr. Bakró-Nagy 1993: 38^10). In Indo-European the opposition w ~ и is basic, in Uralic it is not, and p/w fits into the opposition stop/fricative. In the dialects, the stop-fricatives opposition becomes fundamental and, in some cases, is associated with palatalization. Collinder (1965: 75-92) differentiates initial and internal positions and, if necessary, within both the impact of front or back vowels on consonants when presenting the evolution of Uralic. In initial position the stops can: (1) be preserved, (2) be voiced: к ~ g, t ~ d, p ~ b, (3) become fricatives: к ~ h, p -/(only), (4) the fricativization of U before front vowels results in sibilants s, s, s in Samoyedic. In internal position the stops can (1) be preserved, (2) be voiced к - g, t-d (only), (3) become fricatives: k-h, p -/, (4) fricatives can be voiced: к - у j, t - 8, z; p - v; (5) in Samoyedic к can give sibilants: s, s, (s). The changes in initial and internal position differ in the voicing of fricatives. In Uralic languages voicing spreads over both initial and internal positions as in Altaic proto-languages, differentiating voiceless and voiced phonemes in both positions. Thus, voicing is characteristic to the protolanguages in Altaic, but only to the dialects (languages) in Uralic. In Proto-Indo-European the phonologically relevant features „glottalized" and „voiced" and the phonetic feature „aspirated" of stops were basic and, possibly, more or less connected with their positions. The systemic distribution of these features in phonemes and allophones of Proto-Indo-European resulted in different, but regular reflexes in the various languages. In Uralic there was no such articulated sub-system of glottalic stops: the status of voicing was not clear and we do not know if the aspiration had a role similar to that in Indo-European. Without phonemic relevance and even clear allophonic status of these features in the proto-language, the changes in the Uralic languages follow the general tendencies of phonetics. However, a „revisitation" of the reconstruction of Proto-Uralic, considering carefully the whole process of phonetical changes, can give us new insights.