A sílaba em yaathe

Abstract

In this work, we propose an analysis of the syllable structure in Yaathe, in order to identify the phonetics and phonologic characters that determine the syllabic pattern of the language and to define this syllabic default. The theoretical assumptions used in the analysis are those of Autossegmental Phonology, theoretical proposal of the so-called nonlinear phonology, which considers the syllable as part of the prosodic organization, with its components hierarchically arranged. The general and motivational arguments of this theory, as well as their theoretical and methodological approaches are explained and applied to the analysis on the basis of Goldsmith (1976, 1990 and 1995), Katamba (1989), Gussenhoven & Jacobs, (1998) and Spencer (2005). In the carrying out of the work, we use the commonly used methodology in descriptive linguistics research, involving collection, transcription, treatment and elicitation of data, which were analyzed according to the theoretical model adopted. Ladefoged (1996, 2001) and Baart (2010), among others, supplied us with the orientations for the acoustic phonetic analyzes that was executed by using the Praat program. The work is divided in three chapters. In the first one, we show combinations of segments and undertake an acoustic analysis of consonants sequences to check if they are set to true clusters or if it was a vowel, even though reduced, in the transition of two segments. In the second chapter, we analyze the syllabic structure of the language, checking how the syllable is organized and what principles and restrictions are applied in this process. In the third and final chapter, we present an analysis of the processes that directly interfere with the syllabification.