Mid vowel assimilation in siSwati

Abstract

Previous analyses of the behaviour of siSwati mid vowels show conflicting results. According to Ziervogel and Mabuza, and  Taljaard and Snyman, siSwati mid vowels are raised to close mid [e, o] when preceding the high vowels [i, u] (e.g. [likʰeʃi] ‘lift’ (n.), [inɮovu] ‘elephant’) but remain open mid [ɛ, ɔ] before [-high] vowels (e.g. [liʦemba] ‘hope n.’, [ibola] ‘football’), suggesting that  siSwati has a vowel height assimilation and/or ATR assimilation. However, Kockaert, in his acoustic analysis of the same vowels  in the same environments, disputes this description. He concludes that there is no significant difference in the F1, F2, and F3  frequency values of these vowels. Results of an   experiment that I have conducted show that the phonological environment does  influence the quality of siSwati mid vowels. The change though is not evidence of harmony but that of co-articulation.