El yeísmo, así como su rehilamiento y ensordecimiento, son rasgos caracterizadores del español del Uruguay. Varios estudios locales han indagado sobre estos fenómenos atendiendo tanto a cuestiones diacrónicas como sincrónicas. Sin embargo, y tal como se desprende de la literatura especializada, no contamos hasta el momento con una mirada crítica y global de estos estudios ni con una evaluación panorámica de sus resultados. En el presente trabajo, ofrecemos una revisión crítica de las investigaciones sobre el yeísmo, el rehilamiento y el ensordecimiento en el Uruguay, prestando especial atención a la caracterización histórica de estos fenómenos, su estado actual en el sistema fonológico del español del Uruguay y las actitudes asociadas a ellos. Esto nos permite, por un lado, aportar a la caracterización de la historia del español del Uruguay, así como también contribuir con una mirada local a un fenómeno ciertamente complejo en la historia del español. Por otro lado, la revisión crítica de los estudios nos permite identificar sus aportes globales y sus limitaciones específicas e identificar nuevas áreas de investigación en la temática para una caracterización más contundente y acabada de estos fenómenos. / The phenomena of yeísmo, rehilamiento and devoicing are certainly constitutive of Uruguayan Spanish. In the past, many studies have analyzed these phenomena focusing on both the synchronic and the diachronic perspectives of language analysis. However –and as indicated by the specialized literature–  there still have not been systematic attempts to evaluate –globally and critically– previous studies and their findings. This paper provides a critical review of studies addressing yeísmo, rehilamiento and devoicing in Uruguayan Spanish. Our focus is on the historical description of these processes, their current status in the phonological system of Uruguayan Spanish and the social attitudes attached to them. This allows us to contribute to the history of the Spanish language in Uruguay, but also to provide a local view of a phonological and phonetic process that is by definition complex and that has for a long time accompanied the phonological evolution of Spanish. On the other hand, providing a critical review of the literature also allows us to identify and evaluate previous contributions, theoretical and methodological limitations and future research areas. In turn, this will help us achieve a better understanding of these phenomena.

This dissertation investigates the role of grammatical versus methodological influences in the production and perception of final devoicing in experimentally-elicited speech from Russian. It addresses the question of how the partial preservation of the phonological voicing contrast in word-final obstruents is affected by (i) task-independent factors that reflect phonological and lexical properties of stimuli words (underlying voicing, word length, lexical competition) and (ii) task-dependent biases that arise due to the nature of the experimental task performed by the speaker (availability of orthographic inputs, presence of minimal pairs among the stimuli). Results of a series of acoustic production and perceptual identification tasks reveal that task-dependent factors account for the presence of robust and perceptually salient differences in the parameter of phonetic voicing. Several types of stimuli items also show limited but statistically significant differences in closure/frication duration and release duration that are independent of the presence of orthography or inclusion of full minimal pairs among test items. Taken together, these findings indicate that non-grammatical factors can play a prominent biasing role in both production and perception of the voicing contrast in experimentally-elicited speech, such that certain voicing-dependent cues are maintained only in the presence of task-dependent pressures. However, not all incompletely neutralized differences between phonologically voiced versus voiceless final obstruents can be attributed to the effects of orthography or inclusion of minimal pairs among the stimuli. In the theoretical domain, these results are argued to favour a less restrictive definition of neutralization and a model of phonology that views devoicing as a loss of the primary acoustic cue to the underlying voicing contrast rather than complete identity of the [voiced] feature.

Children at risk for reading problems also have difficulty perceiving critical differences in speech sounds (Breier et al., 2004; Edwards, Fox, & Rogers, 2003; de- Gelder & Vroomen, 1998). These children rely more heavily on context than the acoustic qualities of sound to facilitate word reading. Dialect use, such as African American English (AAE) may influence literacy development in similar ways. Dialect use has been shown to affect speech sound processing and can even result in spelling errors (Kohler, et al., in press). The purpose of this study is to determine if children who speak AAE process cues indicative of final consonant voicing differently than children who speak a more mainstream dialect of English. Twenty-six typically developing children in grades K-2 who spoke either AAE or a more mainstream American English dialect participated. The speech stimuli consisted of nonsense productions of vowel + plosive consonant. These stimuli were systematically altered by changing the vowel and stop-gap closure duration simultaneously, which resulted in the final consonant changing from a voiced consonant, like “ib”, to a voiceless consonant, like “ip”. Two tasks were developed: a continuum task where the child had to indicate when the stimuli changed in voicing and a same-different task which involved determining if two stimuli were identical in voicing or not. No significant differences between groups were found for dialect use or grade for the same/different task. In the continuum task, chi-square analyses revealed significant differences in response patterns attributable to dialect and grade. In addition, a significant consonant by speaker interaction was found for mean ratings. Correlations between mean continuum rating and phonological awareness composites were not significant. In conclusion, it was evident that children who speak AAE present with differences in their perception of final consonants in VC nonsense syllables. This finding suggests the dialect speakers may be using different cues to make judgments regarding the speech signal, or that the speakers of AAE have a less mature ability to extract fine phonetic detail due to the influence of their dialect (Baran & Seymour, 1979). More research is warranted to determine the exact role that dialect plays.

This dissertation investigates the role of grammatical versus methodological influences in the production and perception of final devoicing in experimentally-elicited speech from Russian. It addresses the question of how the partial preservation of the phonological voicing contrast in word-final obstruents is affected by (i) task-independent factors that reflect phonological and lexical properties of stimuli words (underlying voicing, word length, lexical competition) and (ii) task-dependent biases that arise due to the nature of the experimental task performed by the speaker (availability of orthographic inputs, presence of minimal pairs among the stimuli). Results of a series of acoustic production and perceptual identification tasks reveal that task-dependent factors account for the presence of robust and perceptually salient differences in the parameter of phonetic voicing. Several types of stimuli items also show limited but statistically significant differences in closure/frication duration and release duration that are independent of the presence of orthography or inclusion of full minimal pairs among test items. Taken together, these findings indicate that non-grammatical factors can play a prominent biasing role in both production and perception of the voicing contrast in experimentally-elicited speech, such that certain voicing-dependent cues are maintained only in the presence of task-dependent pressures. However, not all incompletely neutralized differences between phonologically voiced versus voiceless final obstruents can be attributed to the effects of orthography or inclusion of minimal pairs among the stimuli. In the theoretical domain, these results are argued to favour a less restrictive definition of neutralization and a model of phonology that views devoicing as a loss of the primary acoustic cue to the underlying voicing contrast rather than complete identity of the [voiced] feature.

This dissertation investigates the role of grammatical versus methodological influences in the production and perception of final devoicing in experimentally-elicited speech from Russian. It addresses the question of how the partial preservation of the phonological voicing contrast in word-final obstruents is affected by (i) task-independent factors that reflect phonological and lexical properties of stimuli words (underlying voicing, word length, lexical competition) and (ii) task-dependent biases that arise due to the nature of the experimental task performed by the speaker (availability of orthographic inputs, presence of minimal pairs among the stimuli). Results of a series of acoustic production and perceptual identification tasks reveal that task-dependent factors account for the presence of robust and perceptually salient differences in the parameter of phonetic voicing. Several types of stimuli items also show limited but statistically significant differences in closure/frication duration and release duration that are independent of the presence of orthography or inclusion of full minimal pairs among test items. Taken together, these findings indicate that non-grammatical factors can play a prominent biasing role in both production and perception of the voicing contrast in experimentally-elicited speech, such that certain voicing-dependent cues are maintained only in the presence of task-dependent pressures. However, not all incompletely neutralized differences between phonologically voiced versus voiceless final obstruents can be attributed to the effects of orthography or inclusion of minimal pairs among the stimuli. In the theoretical domain, these results are argued to favour a less restrictive definition of neutralization and a model of phonology that views devoicing as a loss of the primary acoustic cue to the underlying voicing contrast rather than complete identity of the [voiced] feature.

The thesis in its theoretical part discusses the rhotics, including the Czech trills, and especially focuses on articulatory, perceptual and acoustic properties of the fricative trill [ř]. Attention is also paid to possible corrections of disorders of pronunciation. In the experimental part the research of the realization of the trill [ř] by non-native speakers of Czech is described. This research mainly deals with differences in articulation, which are produced by the non-native speakers of Czech (specifically the native speakers of German, Polish, Russian and Vietnamese language). Key words: rhotics, trills, devoicing, trilling, foreigner accent, language level.

Esta tese objetiva analisar o desvozeamento variável das plosivas bilabial, alveolar e velar (abacaxi~apacaxi, dela~tela e Glória~Clória) do português brasileiro em contato com o hunsrückisch, língua de imigração alemã. A variedade de português investigada é a falada em Glória, comunidade da zona rural do município de Estrela, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. O status social da variável em estudo é estereotipado e as atitudes linguísticas são analisadas em relação ao desvozeamento das plosivas. Investiga-se, portanto, a relação entre o processo variável e as atitudes linguísticas dos falantes para com o português brasileiro local e com a língua de imigração. O estudo orienta-se pela Sociolinguística Variacionista (LABOV, 2008 [1972]) e pelo estudo de atitudes linguísticas (TRIANDIS, 1974; FASOLD, 1996; KAUFMANN, 1997; 2011; GILES e BILLINGS, 2004; GARRET, 2005; VANDERMEEREN, 2005; LABOV, 2010). Para a análise de regra variável, foram levantados contextos de desvozeamento de vinte e quatro entrevistas sociolinguísticas de informantes de Glória. Os dados foram submetidos à análise estatística pelo pacote computacional VARBRUL, versão GoldVarb X, para verificar os fatores linguísticos e extralinguísticos que condicionam o desvozeamento variável das plosivas. Constatou-se que a proporção de desvozeamento é baixa, 2,6%. Os informantes do gênero feminino, com menor grau de escolarização, ensino fundamental, e com mais de 47 anos condicionam o processo. As palavras com maior número de sílabas, contexto precedente vazio e o contexto seguinte alveolar, sílabas pretônica e tônica favorecem o desvozeamento das plosivas. Para o estudo de atitudes linguísticas, foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa mediante a aplicação do questionário “As atitudes linguísticas no português brasileiro em contato com o hunsrückisch”, adaptado de Kaufmann (1997; 2011). Posteriormente, os dados levantados com o questionário foram submetidos a tratamento estatístico pelo software IBM SPSS, versão 22.0. Verificou-se que os núcleos familiares, compostos por avós, pais, irmãos, tios e tias, influenciam as práticas sociais, linguísticas e culturais na comunidade de Glória, principalmente a figura feminina, a mãe, (geração mais velha) que tem responsabilidade na formação e preservação cultural nas antigas áreas de imigração europeia no sul do Brasil e também pela função social que exerce em casa, na educação inicial dos filhos. Os informantes mais jovens realizam mais atividades de trabalho, diversão e lazer do que seus pais, usando o português como língua de interação. Tais atividades influenciam as atitudes dos falantes em relação à preferência a usar português em lugar do hunsrückisch. Os resultados evidenciam que a escolaridade também contribui para as atitudes, com práticas linguísticas em português brasileiro local no ambiente escolar: os falantes orientam-se à cultura brasileira e à fala em português brasileiro local e buscam fugir ao estereótipo do desvozeamento das plosivas. / This thesis aims at analyzing the variable devoicing of bilabial, alveolar and velar plosives (abacaxi~apacaxi, dela~tela e Glória~Clória) in Brazilian Portuguese in contact with hunsrückisch, German immigration language. The Portuguese variety under investigation is the one spoken in Glória, a rural area community in the town of Estrela, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The social status of the variable in study is stereotyped and the linguistic attitudes are analyzed in relation to the devoicing of the plosives. It investigated, therefore, the relation between the variable process and the speakers’ linguistic attitudes towards local Brazilian Portuguese and the immigration language. The study is oriented by Variationist Sociolinguistics (LABOV, 2008 [1972]) and by linguistic attitude studies (TRIANDIS, 1974; FASOLD, 1996; KAUFMANN, 1997; 2011; GILES e BILLINGS, 2004; GARRET, 2005; VANDERMEEREN, 2005; LABOV, 2010). For analyzing the variable rule, devoicing contexts, present in twenty-four sociolinguistic interviews with informants from Glória, were gathered. The data were submitted to statistical analysis by the computational package VARBRUL, version GoldVarb X, in order to verify the linguistic and extra-linguistic factors that condition the variable devoicing of plosives. It was determined that the devoicing proportion is low, 2.6%. The female gender informants, with the lowest scholarization degree, middle school, and older than 47 years old condition the process. The words with a bigger number of syllables, empty precedent context and alveolar posterior context, pre-tonic and tonic syllables favor the plosives devoicing. For the study of linguistic attitudes, a qualitative research was carried out, through the application of the questionnaire “As atitudes linguísticas no português brasileiro em contato com o hunsrückisch”, adapted from Kaufmann (1997; 2011). After that, the data collected through the questionnaire were submitted to statistical treatment by the software IBM SPSS, version 22.0. It was possible to verify that family cores, composed by grandparents, parents, siblings, uncles and aunts, influence the social, linguistic and cultural practices in the community of Glória, specially the female figure, the mother, (older generation) which holds responsibility in cultural formation and maintenance in old European immigration areas in the south of Brazil and also in the social function exerted at home, in the initial education of the children. The younger informants perform more activities related to work, entertainment and leisure than their parents, using the Portuguese as interaction language. Such activities influence the speakers’ attitudes towards the preference for using Portuguese over hunsrückisch. The results show that scholarization also contributes for the attitudes, with linguistic practices in local Brazilian Portuguese in the school environment: the speakers orient themselves towards the Brazilian culture and the speech in local Brazilian Portuguese, and seek to scape from the stereotype of plosives devoicing.

Esta tese objetiva analisar o desvozeamento variável das plosivas bilabial, alveolar e velar (abacaxi~apacaxi, dela~tela e Glória~Clória) do português brasileiro em contato com o hunsrückisch, língua de imigração alemã. A variedade de português investigada é a falada em Glória, comunidade da zona rural do município de Estrela, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. O status social da variável em estudo é estereotipado e as atitudes linguísticas são analisadas em relação ao desvozeamento das plosivas. Investiga-se, portanto, a relação entre o processo variável e as atitudes linguísticas dos falantes para com o português brasileiro local e com a língua de imigração. O estudo orienta-se pela Sociolinguística Variacionista (LABOV, 2008 [1972]) e pelo estudo de atitudes linguísticas (TRIANDIS, 1974; FASOLD, 1996; KAUFMANN, 1997; 2011; GILES e BILLINGS, 2004; GARRET, 2005; VANDERMEEREN, 2005; LABOV, 2010). Para a análise de regra variável, foram levantados contextos de desvozeamento de vinte e quatro entrevistas sociolinguísticas de informantes de Glória. Os dados foram submetidos à análise estatística pelo pacote computacional VARBRUL, versão GoldVarb X, para verificar os fatores linguísticos e extralinguísticos que condicionam o desvozeamento variável das plosivas. Constatou-se que a proporção de desvozeamento é baixa, 2,6%. Os informantes do gênero feminino, com menor grau de escolarização, ensino fundamental, e com mais de 47 anos condicionam o processo. As palavras com maior número de sílabas, contexto precedente vazio e o contexto seguinte alveolar, sílabas pretônica e tônica favorecem o desvozeamento das plosivas. Para o estudo de atitudes linguísticas, foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa mediante a aplicação do questionário “As atitudes linguísticas no português brasileiro em contato com o hunsrückisch”, adaptado de Kaufmann (1997; 2011). Posteriormente, os dados levantados com o questionário foram submetidos a tratamento estatístico pelo software IBM SPSS, versão 22.0. Verificou-se que os núcleos familiares, compostos por avós, pais, irmãos, tios e tias, influenciam as práticas sociais, linguísticas e culturais na comunidade de Glória, principalmente a figura feminina, a mãe, (geração mais velha) que tem responsabilidade na formação e preservação cultural nas antigas áreas de imigração europeia no sul do Brasil e também pela função social que exerce em casa, na educação inicial dos filhos. Os informantes mais jovens realizam mais atividades de trabalho, diversão e lazer do que seus pais, usando o português como língua de interação. Tais atividades influenciam as atitudes dos falantes em relação à preferência a usar português em lugar do hunsrückisch. Os resultados evidenciam que a escolaridade também contribui para as atitudes, com práticas linguísticas em português brasileiro local no ambiente escolar: os falantes orientam-se à cultura brasileira e à fala em português brasileiro local e buscam fugir ao estereótipo do desvozeamento das plosivas. / This thesis aims at analyzing the variable devoicing of bilabial, alveolar and velar plosives (abacaxi~apacaxi, dela~tela e Glória~Clória) in Brazilian Portuguese in contact with hunsrückisch, German immigration language. The Portuguese variety under investigation is the one spoken in Glória, a rural area community in the town of Estrela, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The social status of the variable in study is stereotyped and the linguistic attitudes are analyzed in relation to the devoicing of the plosives. It investigated, therefore, the relation between the variable process and the speakers’ linguistic attitudes towards local Brazilian Portuguese and the immigration language. The study is oriented by Variationist Sociolinguistics (LABOV, 2008 [1972]) and by linguistic attitude studies (TRIANDIS, 1974; FASOLD, 1996; KAUFMANN, 1997; 2011; GILES e BILLINGS, 2004; GARRET, 2005; VANDERMEEREN, 2005; LABOV, 2010). For analyzing the variable rule, devoicing contexts, present in twenty-four sociolinguistic interviews with informants from Glória, were gathered. The data were submitted to statistical analysis by the computational package VARBRUL, version GoldVarb X, in order to verify the linguistic and extra-linguistic factors that condition the variable devoicing of plosives. It was determined that the devoicing proportion is low, 2.6%. The female gender informants, with the lowest scholarization degree, middle school, and older than 47 years old condition the process. The words with a bigger number of syllables, empty precedent context and alveolar posterior context, pre-tonic and tonic syllables favor the plosives devoicing. For the study of linguistic attitudes, a qualitative research was carried out, through the application of the questionnaire “As atitudes linguísticas no português brasileiro em contato com o hunsrückisch”, adapted from Kaufmann (1997; 2011). After that, the data collected through the questionnaire were submitted to statistical treatment by the software IBM SPSS, version 22.0. It was possible to verify that family cores, composed by grandparents, parents, siblings, uncles and aunts, influence the social, linguistic and cultural practices in the community of Glória, specially the female figure, the mother, (older generation) which holds responsibility in cultural formation and maintenance in old European immigration areas in the south of Brazil and also in the social function exerted at home, in the initial education of the children. The younger informants perform more activities related to work, entertainment and leisure than their parents, using the Portuguese as interaction language. Such activities influence the speakers’ attitudes towards the preference for using Portuguese over hunsrückisch. The results show that scholarization also contributes for the attitudes, with linguistic practices in local Brazilian Portuguese in the school environment: the speakers orient themselves towards the Brazilian culture and the speech in local Brazilian Portuguese, and seek to scape from the stereotype of plosives devoicing.

Esta tese objetiva analisar o desvozeamento variável das plosivas bilabial, alveolar e velar (abacaxi~apacaxi, dela~tela e Glória~Clória) do português brasileiro em contato com o hunsrückisch, língua de imigração alemã. A variedade de português investigada é a falada em Glória, comunidade da zona rural do município de Estrela, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. O status social da variável em estudo é estereotipado e as atitudes linguísticas são analisadas em relação ao desvozeamento das plosivas. Investiga-se, portanto, a relação entre o processo variável e as atitudes linguísticas dos falantes para com o português brasileiro local e com a língua de imigração. O estudo orienta-se pela Sociolinguística Variacionista (LABOV, 2008 [1972]) e pelo estudo de atitudes linguísticas (TRIANDIS, 1974; FASOLD, 1996; KAUFMANN, 1997; 2011; GILES e BILLINGS, 2004; GARRET, 2005; VANDERMEEREN, 2005; LABOV, 2010). Para a análise de regra variável, foram levantados contextos de desvozeamento de vinte e quatro entrevistas sociolinguísticas de informantes de Glória. Os dados foram submetidos à análise estatística pelo pacote computacional VARBRUL, versão GoldVarb X, para verificar os fatores linguísticos e extralinguísticos que condicionam o desvozeamento variável das plosivas. Constatou-se que a proporção de desvozeamento é baixa, 2,6%. Os informantes do gênero feminino, com menor grau de escolarização, ensino fundamental, e com mais de 47 anos condicionam o processo. As palavras com maior número de sílabas, contexto precedente vazio e o contexto seguinte alveolar, sílabas pretônica e tônica favorecem o desvozeamento das plosivas. Para o estudo de atitudes linguísticas, foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa mediante a aplicação do questionário “As atitudes linguísticas no português brasileiro em contato com o hunsrückisch”, adaptado de Kaufmann (1997; 2011). Posteriormente, os dados levantados com o questionário foram submetidos a tratamento estatístico pelo software IBM SPSS, versão 22.0. Verificou-se que os núcleos familiares, compostos por avós, pais, irmãos, tios e tias, influenciam as práticas sociais, linguísticas e culturais na comunidade de Glória, principalmente a figura feminina, a mãe, (geração mais velha) que tem responsabilidade na formação e preservação cultural nas antigas áreas de imigração europeia no sul do Brasil e também pela função social que exerce em casa, na educação inicial dos filhos. Os informantes mais jovens realizam mais atividades de trabalho, diversão e lazer do que seus pais, usando o português como língua de interação. Tais atividades influenciam as atitudes dos falantes em relação à preferência a usar português em lugar do hunsrückisch. Os resultados evidenciam que a escolaridade também contribui para as atitudes, com práticas linguísticas em português brasileiro local no ambiente escolar: os falantes orientam-se à cultura brasileira e à fala em português brasileiro local e buscam fugir ao estereótipo do desvozeamento das plosivas. / This thesis aims at analyzing the variable devoicing of bilabial, alveolar and velar plosives (abacaxi~apacaxi, dela~tela e Glória~Clória) in Brazilian Portuguese in contact with hunsrückisch, German immigration language. The Portuguese variety under investigation is the one spoken in Glória, a rural area community in the town of Estrela, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The social status of the variable in study is stereotyped and the linguistic attitudes are analyzed in relation to the devoicing of the plosives. It investigated, therefore, the relation between the variable process and the speakers’ linguistic attitudes towards local Brazilian Portuguese and the immigration language. The study is oriented by Variationist Sociolinguistics (LABOV, 2008 [1972]) and by linguistic attitude studies (TRIANDIS, 1974; FASOLD, 1996; KAUFMANN, 1997; 2011; GILES e BILLINGS, 2004; GARRET, 2005; VANDERMEEREN, 2005; LABOV, 2010). For analyzing the variable rule, devoicing contexts, present in twenty-four sociolinguistic interviews with informants from Glória, were gathered. The data were submitted to statistical analysis by the computational package VARBRUL, version GoldVarb X, in order to verify the linguistic and extra-linguistic factors that condition the variable devoicing of plosives. It was determined that the devoicing proportion is low, 2.6%. The female gender informants, with the lowest scholarization degree, middle school, and older than 47 years old condition the process. The words with a bigger number of syllables, empty precedent context and alveolar posterior context, pre-tonic and tonic syllables favor the plosives devoicing. For the study of linguistic attitudes, a qualitative research was carried out, through the application of the questionnaire “As atitudes linguísticas no português brasileiro em contato com o hunsrückisch”, adapted from Kaufmann (1997; 2011). After that, the data collected through the questionnaire were submitted to statistical treatment by the software IBM SPSS, version 22.0. It was possible to verify that family cores, composed by grandparents, parents, siblings, uncles and aunts, influence the social, linguistic and cultural practices in the community of Glória, specially the female figure, the mother, (older generation) which holds responsibility in cultural formation and maintenance in old European immigration areas in the south of Brazil and also in the social function exerted at home, in the initial education of the children. The younger informants perform more activities related to work, entertainment and leisure than their parents, using the Portuguese as interaction language. Such activities influence the speakers’ attitudes towards the preference for using Portuguese over hunsrückisch. The results show that scholarization also contributes for the attitudes, with linguistic practices in local Brazilian Portuguese in the school environment: the speakers orient themselves towards the Brazilian culture and the speech in local Brazilian Portuguese, and seek to scape from the stereotype of plosives devoicing.

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