Sandhi

Sandhi (Sanskrit संधि, Samdhi - "composition" ) is a term from the Sanskrit grammar of Panini, which is still used in linguistics to describe systematic phonological changes in the combination of two morphemes or lexemes. Sandhi thus serves to simplify the pronunciation of the words and terms by successive elements are equal to each other. This can be done by adding or removing, as well as phonemes of the change in the articulation location or phonation.

Types

Internal Sandhi

An internal Sandhi occurs when two morphemes are affected within a word. For example, in Turkish, where a final- k - ğ, when the following morpheme begins with a vowel. Thus köpek "the dog " ( nominative ) by the accusative suffix -i ​​to köpeğ -i " the dog " ( accusative ). Another example is in Greek and as a result, for example, also in English and German, the systematic change of the prefix syn -to sym -. If the following morpheme begins with a labial, the original alveolar nasal n is the labial nasal m. Comparison: syn - opsis, syn -thesis, contain vs. Sympathy, sym - metric, received. The word " Sandhi " is itself an example of the reverse situation - it is a combination of "sam " and " dhi ".

External Sandhi

External Sandhi called comparable phonological changes in the clash between two words. For example, regularly observed in the liaison in French. A case in English is the change of the indefinite article a to on, if the following word begins with a vowel. All languages ​​of the Rhineland and its surroundings ( Rheinhessen, Palatine, Luxembourgish, Ripuarian, Limburg ) applying it in different, often optional form; In Kölschen emphasis and intonation are often significant bearing; up to negation. Sandhi supports this

Examples

An example from the Rhinelander: The word " I " for example, Isch hann ... "I have ...", a possible answer: Ijj_ävver nit. ( Jj can be as j and as a voiced sch speaking) " But I do not. "; who is very hasty or does not want to interfere, this can therefore make it clear that he fast / high speaking in the tone of a statement: Ka j schö_sare? instead of asking: Can Isch Tschööh saagen? both: "May I say good-bye? ";

An example from Norwegian: Jeg har says → Jeg ha schagt (rs → sch) ( " I said " )

In Ostlimburgischen near the German- Dutch border, one finds so-called harmony sounds. In Krieewelsch example is dän Dotz ( the little boy ), Danish man (the tree ) grammatically different (the man ) and insu Buom not all are nominative singular masculine, the added or absent " m" and " n" in the article are pure Sandhi.

In Luxembourg, for example, is omitted in the word composition dams Shong → Damme Chong (ladies shoes) an "n", which appears much lighter sprechbar. This and some similar " n" - or "nn" failures are described by the so-called Eifel rule that documents this sandhi phenomenon for a large number of Western Central German dialects. It is also an example of a rule that describes both internal as external sandhi.