Remarks on Khuuchin Barga Affricates

Abstract

This paper, using the information from the ASK REAL field works and consulting the previous researches, identifies the Khuuchin Barga segments which correspond to the Written Mongolian (also to the Middle Mongolian) affricate č and ǰ as below. They are: (1) Voiceless fricatives [s] and [ɕ], (2) Aspirated voiceless affricates [ʦʰ] and [ʨʰ], (3) Unaspirated voiced affricates [ʣ] and [ʥ], (4) Voiced fricatives [z] and [ʒ]. This paper regards (1) and (4) as the examples of the similarities between Khuuchin Barga and Buryat dialects. As for (2) and (3), however, it suggests the influence of certain non-Buryat dialects on Khuuchin Barga. Lack of the dental-alveolar affricate and the de- Aspiration of the word initial affricates in Eastern Khalkha dialect(s) was mentioned for the future work of searching both the genetically nearest dialect(s) and the most influential contacting dialect(s) of the Khuuchin Barga. Hypercorrection of [ʦ] (=[ʦʰ]) and [ʣ] in some Inner Mongolian dialects are referred from the research of the Inner Mongolian scholar, and all the Russian loan words of the informant are enumerated for the future discussion.