PHONETIC CHANGES OF VOWEL COMPLEXES AT THE MORPHEME BOUNDARY IN THE SPEECH OF PRONE VALLEY

Abstract

The presented scientific article discusses the tendency, cases of realization and frequency of phonetic changes of vowel complexes at the morpheme boundary in the speech of Prone Valley. The research is based on dialect texts recorded and published at various times. The speech of the Prone  Valley represents a transitional zone between Central Kartli and Western Kartli. In this valley, cases of mixing of speech codes of Imeretian, Meskhetian-Javakhian, Racha and Gurian dialects with the Georgian dialect are confirmed.

The change of vowel complexes was confirmed predominantly in the initial and final positions of the word. It is noteworthy that three markers of assimilation and dissimilation are revealed: local Local queue (place of articulation), openness (raising), and labiality.

The preverbial vowel changes in complexes as a result of regressive, contact, and complete assimilation. ae →ee: eets’ia (aets’ia "go up"), deejakha (¬ daejaxa "Crashed "), geekharda (¬gaekharda "Rejoiced"), gadeekhvia (¬gadaekhvia "Hugged"),  ts’eechkh’uba (¬ts’aechkhuba "Fought" ), cheesva (¬chaesva " Put ")… oe →ee: meeshveleba (¬moeshveleba " It helps ") meets’ona (¬moets’ona "  to like  ") , meeq’vana (¬moeq’vana "to take "). aa → ae: gadevighot (← gadavighot" Let's take " ). Complex changes occur not only between neighboring vowels, but also between elements separated by a consonant, especially when a compound preverb is attached to a verb. Both vowel elements of a compound preverb undergo changes: gemeerchia (¬gamoerchia "Chosen "), ts’emeeq’vana (¬ts’amoeq’vana "to be taken away ")… oa®aa:maakhsenebs (¬moakhsenebs "Will report ") .

The vowel of the preverb changes as a result of contact, regressive, complete dissimilation. ee → ae: shaepereboda (←sheepereboda "It would be suitable ").

The study showed that the main trends of phonetic changes in vowel complexes at the morpheme boundary in the speech of the Prone Valley are common to Georgian, although certain modifications are also confirmed, which are determined by the internal laws of the Kartli dialect, population migration, and the mixing of speech codes.

Keywords: Kartli dialect, Prone Valley speech, vowel complexes, morpheme, phonetic change.