Prosodic variation in European Portuguese: comparative analysis of vocalic sandhi phenomena

Abstract

In this article we examine three different hiatus resolution phenomena (Vowel Merger, Semivocalization and Back Vowel deletion) in five different urban regions in the north, centre and south of Portugal. These five regions show similarities with the Standard variety of European Portuguese: specifically lexical stress blocks Vowel Merger, whereas Semivocalization and Back vowel deletion allow stress in the second vowel. The geographic distribution of each phenomenon was also looked into and it was concluded that Semivocalization is far more frequent in the north than back vowel deletion, which is the preferred pattern in the south. Furthermore, all the phenomena are constrained by prosodic conditions, including prominence levels.