This study investigates the phonetic and phonological mechanisms underlying sound change in Kashubian, focusing on the phonologization of contextual vowel lengthening. Conducted by the author, the research highlights how specific coarticulatory conditions—namely, the presence of a head syllable, an open syllable, and a following voiced consonant—must be met to trigger this phonological change.

Utilizing the BiPhon model, which integrates both phonetic and phonological representations, the study reveals that cumulative effects are critical for understanding how phonetic details influence phonological outcomes. The analysis shows that while Kashubian and Polish share similar historical trajectories regarding vowel length, Kashubian imposes stricter conditions for the preservation of jers, a type of ultra-short vowel. This nuanced distinction emphasizes the role of phonetic context in phonologization processes.

The findings contribute to theoretical discussions on sound change by demonstrating that phonology can access fine-grained phonetic information, challenging traditional views that separate phonetic and phonological levels. This has implications for language technology, as it suggests that models of phonological change must account for detailed phonetic interactions, enhancing our understanding of language evolution and variation.

Source: dx.doi.org