Advanced and retracted tongue root 2744407 217039580 2008-06-04T10:26:49Z Kwamikagami 93143 ±ATR and phonation, V harmony In [[phonetics]], '''advanced tongue root''' and '''retracted tongue root''', abbreviated ±ATR, are contrasting states of the root of the [[tongue]] during the pronunciation of [[vowel]]s in some languages, especially in West Africa. It has in the past been suggested that this may also be the basis of the distinction of [[Tenseness|tense and lax vowels]] in European languages such as German, but this no longer seems tenable. ==Advanced tongue root== '''Advanced tongue root''', abbreviated ATR or +ATR, also called '''expanded''', involves the expansion of the [[pharynx|pharyngeal cavity]] by moving the base of the tongue forward — and often lowering the [[larynx]] — during the pronunciation of a vowel. The lowering of the larynx sometimes adds a [[breathy voice|breathy]] quality to the vowel. The [[International Phonetic Alphabet]] represents ATR with a "left tack" [[diacritic]], {{IPA|[&nbsp;&nbsp;<big>̘</big>]}}. In languages where they occur, advanced-tongue-root vowels very often contrast with [[retracted tongue root]] (RTR) vowels in a system of [[vowel harmony]]. This occurs commonly in large parts of [[West Africa]]. ATR vowels involve a certain tension in the tongue, and often in the [[lips]] and jaw as well; the ear can often perceive this tension as a "brightness" (narrow [[formant]]s) compared to RTR vowels. Nonetheless, phoneticians do not refer to ATR vowels as ''tense vowels'', since the word ''[[Tenseness|tense]]'' already has several meanings in European phonetics. ==Retracted tongue root== '''Retracted tongue root''', abbreviated RTR or −ATR, is either #the neutral position of the tongue during the pronunciation of a vowel, contrasting with advanced tongue root, or #the retraction of the base of the tongue in the pharynx during the pronunciation of a vowel, the opposite articulation of advanced tongue root. In this case it is in effect partial [[pharyngealization]], although it may also contrast with full pharyngealization. The diacritic for RTR in the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]] is the right tack, {{IPA|[&nbsp;&nbsp;<big>̙</big>]}}. RTR vowels are often called "lax", but this is not consistent between languages or even between vowels in the same language. ==Tongue root and vowel harmony== As mentioned above, many African languages, such as [[Maasai language|Maasai]], have systems of [[vowel harmony]] based on tongue root. This is illustrated here with the [[Fante language|Fante]] dialect of [[Akan language|Akan]], which has fifteen vowels: five +ATR vowels, five −ATR vowels, and five [[nasal vowel]]s. :{| class=wikitable |+Fante ±ATR vowels ! Ortho-<br>graphy !! +ATR<br>value !! −ATR<br>value !! Approx. European<br>equivalent |- ! i | {{IPA|/i̘/}} || || {{IPA|[i]}} |- ! e | {{IPA|/e̘/}} || {{IPA|/i/}} || {{IPA|[e]}}, {{IPA|[ɪ]}} |- ! ɛ | || {{IPA|/e/}} || {{IPA|[ɛ]}} |- ! a | {{IPA|/a̘/}} || {{IPA|/a/}} || {{IPA|[æ]}}, {{IPA|[ɑ]}} |- ! ɔ | || {{IPA|/o/}} || {{IPA|[ɔ]}} |- ! o | {{IPA|/o̘/}} || {{IPA|/u/}} || {{IPA|[o]}}, {{IPA|[ʊ]}} |- ! u | {{IPA|/u̘/}} || || {{IPA|[u]}} |} There are two harmonization rules that govern which vowels may co-occur in a word: #All −ATR vowels become +ATR when followed by a peripheral +ATR vowel ({{IPA|/i̘ a̘ u̘/}}). That is, orthographic ''{{Unicode|e ɛ a ɔ o}}'' become ''{{Unicode|i e a o u}}'' before ''{{Unicode|i u}}'' and sometimes before ''{{Unicode|a}}.'' #As long as it does not conflict with the previous rule, the +ATR mid vowels ({{IPA|/e̘ o̘/}}) become −ATR high vowels ({{IPA|/i u/}}) when preceded by a −ATR non-high vowel ({{IPA|/e a o/}}). (This is not reflected in the orthography, for underlying and surface vowels are both spelled ''{{Unicode|e o}}.'') In the [[Twi]] dialect, the ±ATR distinction has merged in the [[low vowel]], so that {{IPA|/a/}} is harmonically neutral, occurring with either set of vowels. In addition, the two vowels written ''e'' ({{IPA|/e̘/}} and {{IPA|/i/}}) and ''o'' ({{IPA|/o̘/}} and {{IPA|/u/}}) are often not distinguished, being approximately equivalent to European {{IPA|[e]}} and {{IPA|[o]}}, as reflected in the orthography; for such people the second harmonization rule does not apply. <ref>J.E. Redden and N. Owusu (1963, 1995). ''Twi Basic Course''. Foreign Service Institute (Hippocrene reprint).</ref> ==Tongue root and phonation== With advances in [[fiber optics|fiber-optic]] [[laryngoscopy]] at the end of the twentieth century, new types of [[phonation]] were discovered, which involve more of the [[larynx]] than just the [[glottis]]. One of the few languages studied thus far, the Togolese language [[Kabiyé language|Kabiyé]], had a vocalic distinction that was assumed to be one of tongue root. However, it turned out to be a phonation distinction of [[faucalized voice]] versus [[harsh voice]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Edmondson | first = Jerold A. | coauthor = John H. Esling | title = The valves of the throat and their functioning in tone, vocal register, and stress: laryngoscopic case studies | date = 2005 }}</ref> It is not yet clear whether this is characteristic of ±ATR distinctions in general. ==References== {{Reflist}} [[Category:Vowels]] {{phonetics-stub}} [[es:ATR (rasgo fonético)]] [[fr:Avancement de la racine linguale]]