Overview

This work documents the acoustic properties of Shipibo, and then relates them to phonological patterns. This type of work has previously only been available only for dominant tongues like English or Spanish and, therefore, sets an important precedent in the study and conservation of endangered languages. This work advances the phonetic and phonological aspects of Amazonian linguistics. At the same time, it provides a solid foundation for theoretical approaches, furnishing material that facilitates a better understanding of the diversity of sound systems. While most studies rely on impressionistic data which are susceptible to the subjective interference of the transcriber's native-language phonology, this work uses acoustic phonetics techniques to provide more accuracy. As well as a contextualizing introduction and a conclusion, it contains seven chapters, dedicated to the properties of vowels, consonants, and stress patterns, and an additional chapter connecting the results to the realm of phonology.Spectrograms, pitch contours, duration measurements, and formant analyses are among the tools included to reveal with unprecedented clarity the physical manifestation of the structure of Shipibo's sound system. Although acoustic phonetics is not new, its use in language documentation is, and this book thus represents a paradigmatic shift in the field.

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9780773413030

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[T]he clarity with which Elias-Ulloa presents, explains and analyzes his results will enable future field researches to emulate his methodology, providing, as it does, a solid, pioneering model for the acoustic documentation of any language. -Prof. Jose Camacho Rutgers University ... in addition to this book being welcomed by linguists interested in Amerindian and Amazonian languages, it will attract field linguists, phoneticians, and phonologists in general. The book is written in a clear and accessible way that can be used in the classroom environment as a showcase study in courses of research methods in linguistics. -Prof. Seunghun Lee Central Connecticut State University

"""[T]he clarity with which Elias-Ulloa presents, explains and analyzes his results will enable future field researches to emulate his methodology, providing, as it does, a solid, pioneering model for the acoustic documentation of any language."" -Prof. Jose Camacho Rutgers University ""... in addition to this book being welcomed by linguists interested in Amerindian and Amazonian languages, it will attract field linguists, phoneticians, and phonologists in general. The book is written in a clear and accessible way that can be used in the classroom environment as a showcase study in courses of research methods in linguistics."" -Prof. Seunghun Lee Central Connecticut State University"""

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