Fortition is a phonological process in which a sound becomes stronger or more intense. This can involve the sound becoming louder, more forceful, or more pronounced. Fortition can occur in various ways, such as the strengthening of consonants, the lengthening of vowels, or the addition of emphasis to certain sounds. This process can result in changes to the overall sound of a word or language.
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Google Gemini AI
Aug 14
Fortition is a phonological process where a sound is pronounced with increased strength or force. This can involve changes in the articulation of the sound, such as a stronger airstream, increased closure of the vocal cords, or a more tense tongue position. Fortition can occur in various positions in a word or utterance, such as at the beginning of a word, in the middle of a word, or at the end of a word.
Causes of Fortition:
- Emphasis: Fortition can be used to emphasize particular words or syllables in an utterance. - Prominence: Sounds in prominent positions, such as stressed syllables or the beginning of a word, tend to be more strongly articulated than sounds in less prominent positions. - Phonological context: The surrounding sounds in a word can influence the articulation of a particular sound. For example, a sound may be pronounced with more force to contrast with a following consonant. - Morphological alternation: Fortition can also occur as part of morphological processes, where a change in form is accompanied by a change in pronunciation.
Examples of Fortition:
- In English, the "t" sound in the word "top" is pronounced with more force than the "t" sound in the word "stop." - In Spanish, the "s" sound in the word "casa" (house) is pronounced with more force than the "s" sound in the word "mesa" (table). - In Japanese, the "p" sound in the word "pi" (fire) is pronounced with more force than the "p" sound in the word "hi" (sun).
Consequences of Fortition:
Fortition can have various consequences, including:
- Sound change: Over time, fortition can lead to permanent changes in the articulation of a sound, resulting in a distinct phoneme. - Phonological contrast: Fortition can help maintain phonological contrasts between sounds, making them more distinct and easier to perceive. - Speaker distinctiveness: Fortition can be used by speakers to distinguish themselves from others or to convey specific emotions or attitudes.