Document Type
Oral Presentation
Department
Linguistics
Faculty Mentor
Conor Quinn
Keywords
Passamaquoddy, Pensobcot, Abenaki, Vowel, Pronunciation
Abstract
There are many structural and cultural barriers to learning Wabanaki languages. These barriers are compounded by the fact that Abenaki, Penobscot, and Passamaquoddy use similar but varying writing systems. This issue was not contrived, but arose through the independent development of these writing systems. The key difference lies in the vowels; vowels are often among the first sounds to shift in any given language, and these three languages have followed this pattern. Any modern word that comes from a shared Proto-Eastern Algonquian root and appears in Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, and Abenaki will exhibit clear systematic variation in the pronunciation of their respective vowels. This in itself is not inherently confusing, but the writing systems of each language vary enough that it is not clear which sound is being referred to, in some cases even when the vowel sound itself is the same. This is especially true if one has learned one system and not the others. To transfer knowledge between the three languages, both the vowels themselves and their representations must be learned. In order to streamline this process, all of the relevant information, vowel origin, current pronunciation, examples that highlight every variation, and orthographic form has been compiled and expressed in a format that is accessible to those with no linguistic background. This can function as a standalone guide and personal resource as well as a teaching tool. The development and distribution of this guide will help improve access to information for those who are interested in deepening their knowledge of Wabanaki languages and those who are just getting started.
Included in
A Guide to Vowel Pronunciation in Passamaquoddy-Wolastoqey, Penobscot, and Abenaki
There are many structural and cultural barriers to learning Wabanaki languages. These barriers are compounded by the fact that Abenaki, Penobscot, and Passamaquoddy use similar but varying writing systems. This issue was not contrived, but arose through the independent development of these writing systems. The key difference lies in the vowels; vowels are often among the first sounds to shift in any given language, and these three languages have followed this pattern. Any modern word that comes from a shared Proto-Eastern Algonquian root and appears in Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, and Abenaki will exhibit clear systematic variation in the pronunciation of their respective vowels. This in itself is not inherently confusing, but the writing systems of each language vary enough that it is not clear which sound is being referred to, in some cases even when the vowel sound itself is the same. This is especially true if one has learned one system and not the others. To transfer knowledge between the three languages, both the vowels themselves and their representations must be learned. In order to streamline this process, all of the relevant information, vowel origin, current pronunciation, examples that highlight every variation, and orthographic form has been compiled and expressed in a format that is accessible to those with no linguistic background. This can function as a standalone guide and personal resource as well as a teaching tool. The development and distribution of this guide will help improve access to information for those who are interested in deepening their knowledge of Wabanaki languages and those who are just getting started.
