Variants of the Prefix sub-

The prefix sub- is very productive in English. It comes from Latin and means under. Examples of words with the prefix include subcontinent, submarine and subterranean. The prefix also has many variants. They are the result of assimilation. Here are words with variants of the prefix sub-:

succint

suffix

suggest

support

surreal

suspend

The process which assimilated the prefix to derive the features is the following:

succint = sub + cint

suffix = sub + fix

suggest = sub + gest

support = sub + port

surreal = sub + real

suspend = sub + pend

The process which derives the prefix variants is reverse assimilation. However, in the case of suspend, the process is spirantization because the plosive /b/ becomes /s/. The variants illustrate the process of assimilation, a very common linguistic process.

Amsterdam Dutch

Dutch has many dialects. One well-known dialect is the dialect of Amsterdam. Let us discuss the phonology of Amsterdam Dutch.

In most Dutch dialects, the lateral is velarized in the syllable coda but not in the syllable onset. The word laat (late) is pronounced with a different lateral than the word stoel (chair). However, in Amsterdam Dutch, both words are pronounced with the velarized lateral.

All Dutch fricatives are devoiced in the syllable coda, but in Amsterdam Dutch, the fricatives /v/ and /z/ are often devoiced in the syllable onset. This is also common in other parts of the western Netherlands. In the eastern Netherlands and in Belgium, however, they are not devoiced in the syllable onset.

The /r/ is an alveolar trill or alveolar flap in the syllable onset. It can also be a trill or flap in the syllable coda, but now a number of speakers of Amsterdam Dutch use an alveolar approximant in the syllable coda. However, it is never the uvular fricative or trill of other Dutch dialects.

The mid front vowel of geel (yellow) and mid back vowel of brood (bread) are diphthongs. This is also the case in many other Dutch dialects. However, in the southern Netherlands and in Belgium, they are not diphthongs but monophthongs.

Features associated with the dialect of Amsterdam include the devoicing of the fricatives /v/ and /z/, the velarization of the lateral in all positions and the alveolar trill or tap. It does not differ so much from standard Dutch. The features of Amsterdam Dutch are closer to those of the northern dialects than of the southern ones.

Lateral of Jamaican English

In English the lateral can be pronounced with velarization. This is especially common in syllable-final position. Many varieties of English such as American and Received Pronunciation have velarized laterals. However, this is not the case in Jamaican English, a variety which never velarizes the lateral.

The lack of velarization of the lateral in Jamaican English is a feature that it has in common with many Irish dialects. The dialect of Newcastle in northern England is another variety which does not velarize the lateral. In Received Pronunciation, the lateral is not velarized syllable-initially but it is syllable-finally.

Jamaican English does not velarize laterals. The lack of velarization is one feature which distinguishes Jamaican English from many varieties of English. Many Irish dialects of English also lack velarization of the lateral.

Palatalization in Swedish and Norwegian

Swedish and Norwegian exhibit more palatalization than Danish. In Danish the velar consonants /g/ and /k/ are often palatalized in Swedish and Norwegian. The difference can be observed in many words.

The word guest is gæst in Danish. The pronunciation is similar to that of English. However, it is gäst in Swedish and gjest in Norwegian. In Swedish and Norwegian, the first consonant is not the voiced velar plosive of Danish but rather the palatal approximant in the word yesterday.

Another example is the word kød, the Danish word for meat. In Danish the first consonant is the velar plosive of king, but in Swedish and Norwegian the first consonant is palatal. The Swedish word is kött and the Norwegian word is kjøtt. In both languages the first consonant is similar to the first consonant in the English word huge.

The velar consonants of Danish are often palatalized in Swedish and Norwegian. In this regard, Danish can be considered more conversative, and Swedish and Norwegian can be considered more innovative. Danish maintains the historical pronunciation, but Swedish and Norwegian do not.