Consonantal Devoicing and Assimilations/ Dissimilations Phenomena in Chukchee

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to address the consonantal devoicing phenomena of Chukchee language and the assimilation and dissimilation alternations in Chukchee consonants in terms of the manner and the place of articulation. The Chukchee language (also known as Chukchi, Luoravetlan, Chukot and Chukcha) is a Palaeosiberian language spoken by Chukchi people in the easternmost extremity of Siberia, mainly in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. According to the Russian Census of 2002, about 7,700 of the 15,700 Chukchi people speak Chukchi; knowledge of the Chukchi language is decreasing, and most Chukchis now speak the Russian language (fewer than 500 report not speaking Russian at all). Chukchi is closely related to Koryak, which is spoken by about half that number. The language together with Koryak, Kerek, Alutor and Itelmen forms the Chukotko-Kamchatkan language family. Chukchee is famous for its assimilation and dissimilation phenomena as well as the ominant recessive vowel harmony system. In case of consonantal devoicing, four voiced segments, w, r, j and ɣ become voiceless consonants (Φ, ŗ, ʝ and x respectively) in word-final position or in conjunction with a voiceless consonant. In addition, the assimilation alternations tend to be found morpheme internally and at affixation boundaries with regressive assimilation of nasality and regressive labial assimilation. Meanwhile, the consonant dissimilation happens in the respect of the velar stop to velar fricative, the repeated alveolars, the dissimilations of velars and palatals. Unlike in the case of assimilations, all dissimilation processes are orthographic with the exception of the denasalization. By adopting the data of Spencer and Krause (1908), I propose the rules dealing with the consonantal sound changes in Chukchee. However, I believe that I may need to correct and refine the rules in more detailed way if I come across more diverse Chukchee data.