A Phonological Overview and Analysis of Aspirated Stops in Central Highland Ecuadorian Quechua
- Martin Kohlberger, University of Edinburgh
- Old College Lorimer Room, University of Edinburgh
Quechua is a language continuum spoken in the Andes Mountains in South America. Despite
extensive linguistic fieldwork on it, some Ecuadorian dialects of it remain undocumented and some
questions are unresolved. Aspirated and ejective obstruents have emerged in some Quechua
dialects against the expectations of regular sound change, but the only well documented case of
this innovation is a southern Peruvian/Bolivian dialect.
The first two aims of this investigation were (1) to find an undocumented Ecuadorian dialect
and (2) to describe its phonology. The third aim was to examine its obstruent system, establish
whether aspiration/glottalisation contrasts exist, and determine whether they were likely to be a
result of the same innovation as the one that the southern Peruvian/Bolivian dialect underwent.
The dialect chosen for this study was the Cotopaxi Quichua dialect of central Ecuador and
fieldwork was conducted in the Quilotoa community. Most of the data collection was done through
recorded elicitation sessions with local native speakers.
In addition to providing an overview of its phonology, this study found that Cotopaxi Quichua
does indeed have phonemic aspiration contrasts. Furthermore, there is robust evidence to suggest
that it acquired the aspiration through the same innovation as the southern Peruvian/Bolivian
dialect.
extensive linguistic fieldwork on it, some Ecuadorian dialects of it remain undocumented and some
questions are unresolved. Aspirated and ejective obstruents have emerged in some Quechua
dialects against the expectations of regular sound change, but the only well documented case of
this innovation is a southern Peruvian/Bolivian dialect.
The first two aims of this investigation were (1) to find an undocumented Ecuadorian dialect
and (2) to describe its phonology. The third aim was to examine its obstruent system, establish
whether aspiration/glottalisation contrasts exist, and determine whether they were likely to be a
result of the same innovation as the one that the southern Peruvian/Bolivian dialect underwent.
The dialect chosen for this study was the Cotopaxi Quichua dialect of central Ecuador and
fieldwork was conducted in the Quilotoa community. Most of the data collection was done through
recorded elicitation sessions with local native speakers.
In addition to providing an overview of its phonology, this study found that Cotopaxi Quichua
does indeed have phonemic aspiration contrasts. Furthermore, there is robust evidence to suggest
that it acquired the aspiration through the same innovation as the southern Peruvian/Bolivian
dialect.