Análise de Aspectos Fonéticos e Fonológicos da Língua Sakurabia

Abstract

The Sakurabiat language, also known as Mekens, belongs to the Tupari linguistic family, is spoken in the state of Rondônia and is among the seven most endangered Tupi languages, since it has a very small number of speakers and is not being transmitted to new generations (Galucio, 2005). This work aims to develop a detailed acoustic analysis of the short and long oral and nasal vowels of the Sakurabiat language, in order to contribute to the study of the phonetic system of the language, as well as to deepen the analysis of certain phonological aspects. Furthermore, it seeks to expand the lexical database of the language and to start the analysis of nasality scattering patterns. The more detailed study of the phonetics and phonology of the Sakurabiat language is of great importance for the advancement of knowledge regarding Brazilian indigenous languages, both from an analytical-descriptive and historical-comparative point of view. The observed material consists of repetitions of each vowel, performed by an elderly woman and two adult men, which were recorded with Solid State Recorder PMD660; DAT (Digital Audio Tape) and Shure WH20XLR head microphone. Specific acoustic analysis programs - Praat, Formant Explorer and Signal Explorer - were used as auxiliary tools for the analysis. An acoustic analysis allows us to verify acoustic correlates capable of making the phonetic distinction between the various vocalic sounds. The main correlates analyzed were Formants and Duration. By measuring the production time of each vowel during speech and the frequency of the first two formants (F1, F2), it will be possible to verify the pre-existing phonological analysis of the language (Galucio, 1994), which phonetically distinguishes short and long vowels, and also to identify the quality of each vocalic segment and its distribution in the vocal tract. The results obtained will be fundamental both for the synchronic understanding of the language and its contribution to typological studies, and to assist the comparative design of the Tupari family. Thus, the present study contributes to the knowledge of the phonetic properties of indigenous languages and its implications for phonology studies.