Vakarų aukštaičių kauniškių dvigarsiai: kiekybės santykiai

RIMA BAKŠIENĖ Institute of the Lithuanian Language Research areas: dialectology, geolinguistics, experimental phonetics, phonology. WESTERN HIGHLANDER KAUNAS DIALECT DIPHTHONGS: QUANTITY RELATIONS The Diphthongs of West Highlanders in Kaunas Area: Quantitative Ratio ANNOTATION The article analyzes experimentally the quantity of mixed diphthongs in three subdialects of the Western Highlander Kaunas dialect (VAK): Marijampolė, Vilkaviškis, and Šakiai. The subdialects under study are characterized by different intonation allophones: in the Marijampolė subdialect, the components of acute-accented diphthongs i, u are lengthened; the Šakiai subdialect has the so-called continuous intonation, while the Vilkaviškis subdialect has neither of these features, so the prosodic structure of its diphthongal syllables is closest to that of the standard language. The article also discusses the interpretation and notation of VAK diphthong quantity in the Lithuanian dialectological tradition. The results showed that in all the subdialects, the longest are acute-accented diphthongs with components a, e. In the Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis subdialects, they are significantly longer than the corresponding circumflex-accented diphthongs, whereas in the Šakiai subdialect this duration difference is not significant. The overall duration of diphthongs with components i, u is shorter. In all the subdialects, the difference between acute- and circumflex-accented diphthongs in this group is very small. The duration of the first component is undoubtedly an important intonational feature of diphthongs with components a, e in the Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis subdialects. In the Šakiai subdialect, the duration of the first component cannot be considered an essential intonational feature. This is related to the continuous intonation found in the subdialect. In the group of diphthongs with components i, u, the duration of the first component clearly distinguishes intonations only in the Marijampolė subdialect, whereas this feature is not significant in the Vilkaviškis and Šakiai subdialects. In all the subdialects, the components a, e of acute-accented diphthongs are to be regarded as half-long; the components i, u are to be regarded as half-long in the Marijampolė and Šakiai subdialects, and as short in Vilkaviškis. The components of all circumflex-accented diphthongs in the Šakiai subdialect are to be regarded as half-long, lengthened due to the continuous intonation. KEYWORDS: dialectology, Lithuanian dialects, mixed diphthong, intonation, quantity feature. KEYWORDS: dialectology, Lithuanian dialects, semi-diphthong, syllable accent, quantitative feature. Straipsniai / Articles 193 RIMA BAKŠIENĖ ANNOTATION The article analyses the quantity of semi-diphthongs in three subdialects of the West Aukštaitian Kauniškiai dialect area (hereinafter VAK), namely Marijampolė, Vilkaviškis and Šakiai. The subdialects examined feature different syllable-accent allotones: the Marijampolė subdialect lengthens the first components of acute-accented diphthongs with i and u; the Šakiai subdialect has the so-called continuous accent, whereas the Vilkaviškis subdialect has none of these features, so the prosodic structure of its diphthong syllables is closest to that of the standard language. The article also discusses the interpretation and notation of diphthong quantity in VAK within the Lithuanian tradition of dialectology. The research results showed that the longest diphthongs are the acute diphthongs containing a and e and it is typical to all subdialects. They are substantially longer in Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis subdialects than circumflex variants; meanwhile in Šakiai subdialect this difference in length is not so sharp. The common length of diphthongs with i and u is shorter. The difference between the acute and circumflex diphthongs of this group is very slight. The length of the first component of diphthongs with a and e is an important accentual feature in the Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis subdialects. In the Šakiai subdialect, the duration of the first component is not considered a crucial accentual feature. This is related to the continuous accent prevailing in the subdialect. In the group of diphthongs with i and u, the duration of the first component clearly distinguishes accents only in the Marijampolė subdialect, whereas in the Vilkaviškis and Šakiai subdialects this feature is less important. The components of acute diphthongs a and e are considered as semi long, and components i and u vary in subdialects: in Marijampolė and Šakiai they are considered as semi long, meanwhile in Vilkaviškis subdialect they are short. All components of circumflex diphthongs in Šakiai subdialect are considered as semi long and elongated due to continuous accent. 1. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS Experimental studies of mixed diphthongs in the West Aukštaitian Kauniškiai dialect1 have been scarce to date. In the works of Lithuanian dialectologists, their duration characteristics are described mostly on the basis of auditory perception. Clearly, the quantity of diphthongs and their components depends both on the quality of the elements that form them and on the influence of accent. In the standard language, the correlation with accent is fairly clear: the components of acute-accented diphthongs a, e are lengthened to half-long; the components i, u and those of foreign origin ę, į remain short2; in all circumflex-accented diphthongs, the second component is lengthened to half-long (for a fuller discussion, see Pakerys 2003: 134–135, 220). In the dialectological literature, most discussion concerns the quantity of the first component of acute-accented diphthongs in VAK. Researchers agree that the components a, e in all VAK 1 The article analyses only primary diphthongs; secondary ones are not discussed. 2 Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged that this model exists only as an ideal to strive for; many users of the standard language tend to lengthen the components of acute-accented diphthongs i, u as well. 194 Acta Linguistica Lithuanica LXXI Vakarų aukštaičių kauniškių dvigarsiai: kiekybės santykiai lengthen in the dialects, although this lengthening is considered to be of varying degree. In earlier studies, it was more common to assume that the stressed components a, e in VAK are realized as long (kál·nas, kã·lmas). This notation is found in many publications from the second half of the 20th century (Zinkevičius 1966; 1994; LKT 1970; LKA 1982: map 68; Markevičienė 2001³). In more recent studies, VAK acute-accented components a, e are more often considered half-long⁴ (ká.lnas, kã.lmas) (LKTF 2003; Bacevičiūtė 2004; VAKKA 2005; ŠŠT 2006; GAT 2008; JAT 2013). Only in texts from the eastern part of the Kauniškiai area are the long a; e more often marked (Jaroslavienė 2010). In dialectologists’ works, the notation of these components is usually generalized and standardized; only the editors of the “Lithuanian Dialects Reader” (LKTChr 2004) sought to mark them according to specific pronunciation. Half-long components predominate there: a., e., though an occasional long one is also found. The components i, u of acute-accented diphthongs vary more across the VAK area. They are also marked inconsistently in dialectologists’ works. Traditionally, it was thought that these components remain unchanged both quantitatively and qualitatively in the northwestern part of the Kauniškiai area. This view, and the notation corresponding to it (pírmas, kúrmis), are found in many earlier works (Zinkevičius 1966; 1994; LKT 1970; LKA 1982: map 20; Markevičienė 2001). It is sometimes mentioned that occasional cases of half-long components i., u. also occur in peripheral areas. At the beginning of the 21st century, following a greater number of experimental studies (see below), the idea began to be advanced that in this part of the Kauniškiai area, too, the components i, u are pronounced not as short but as half-long; they are said to be very open, however, and thus differ clearly in quality from long vowels (pí.rmas, kú.rmis). This notation is found in many more recent works (LKTF 2003; Bacevičiūtė 2004; LKTChr 2004; ŠŠT 2006; JAT 2013). In some texts written in simplified transcription, especially those intended for schools, this lengthening—which remains a subject of discussion—is not recorded, and the components are written as short: i, u (VAKKA 2005; GAT 2008). According to data from earlier sources (Zinkevičius 1966; 1994; LKT 1970; LKA 1982: map 20), lengthening of the components i, u of acute-accented diphthongs (to long vowels) begins along an approximate line running through Gražiškiai–Šunskai–Kazlų Rūdà–Agurkiškė–Kaũnas⁵ (see Fig. 1) and covers the entire southeastern part of VAK. In more recent studies, lengthening of the components i, u is likewise consistently recorded in these dialects, although their duration varies—long forms are more common, but half-long ones have also been documented (LKTF 2003; LKTChr 2004; VAKKA 2005; Jaroslavienė 2010). 3 Although the publication appeared at the beginning of the 21st century, most of the texts were recorded in the late 20th century, and its author follows transcription principles closer to those of the older generation of dialectologists. 4 Unfortunately, most recent sources have so far been prepared only from the northern part of VAK, and therefore do not illustrate the entire VAK diphthong system. 5 It should be noted that the isoglosses on the maps in the Lithuanian Dialects Reader were drawn on the basis of LKA maps. The maps prepared by the LKA editors were drawn solely from data collected by ear; experimental studies were not used at the time. Consequently, the LKA maps (especially those showing phonetic features) do not always reflect the actual situation in the mid-20th century, and the location of many isoglosses may also have changed by the 21st century. In the future, the maps will need to be revised on the basis of experimental research results. Straipsniai / Articles 195 RIMA BAKŠIENĖ 1 FIG. VAK area and principal isoglosses6 6 The map was prepared by the article’s author on the basis of the map of the Krauninkai subdialect in the Lithuanian Dialects Reader (Vilnius, 2004). 196 Acta Linguistica Lithuanica LXXI Vakarų aukštaičių kauniškių dvigarsiai: kiekybės santykiai The pronunciation and notation of circumflex-accented diphthongs in VAK also vary across dialectologists’ studies. The northern part of the Kauniškiai dialect area poses problems, as it has a distinctive allophone of the circumflex accent—a sustained accent (see Fig. 1). This allophone is described in many studies of the region; unfortunately, in sources from earlier years its features, too, are characterized only by ear. It is emphasized that the circumflex accent is sustained across both components of the diphthong or mixed diphthong, with not only the second but also the first component receiving a certain stress and being lengthened (Zinkevičius 1966: 36; 1994: 32; LKT 1970: 29; LKA 1982: 125). In dialectologists’ studies, this accent variant has so far been marked in three ways: 1) lengthening and openness of the components are not marked7 (vilkas, kūr̃pas) (LKT 1970; Markevičienė 2001; VAKKA 2005); 2) both components are marked as half-long, while i, u openness is not marked (vi.ĩ.kas, kū.m.pas) (Zinkevičius 1966; 1994); 3) both components are half-long, and i, u openness is marked (vi.ĩ.kas, kū.m.pas) (LKTF 2003; Bacevičiūtė 2004; LKTChr 2004; ŠŠT 2006; GAT 2008; ĮAT 2013). Thus, most researchers consider both components of these mixed diphthongs to be half-long; the only uncertainty concerns the openness of i, u (for more detail, see Bacevičiūtė 2005: 42). In the southern part of VAK, where there is no sustained accent, circumflex-accented mixed diphthongs are pronounced more or less uniformly almost everywhere, with emphasis and lengthening of the second component, which is usually considered half-long. 2. EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF WESTERN HIGHLANDER KAUNIŠKIAI MIXED DIPHTHONGS To date, only the mixed diphthongs of the northern part of VAK (the Šakiai dialect) have been studied in greater detail using experimental phonetic methods. It has been established that the duration relationships of acute- and circumflex-accented mixed diphthongs here (both overall and for their individual components) are variable, although acute-accented mixed diphthongs tend to be somewhat longer more often. Duration features cannot be significant in differentiating the accents of mixed-diphthong syllables in this part of VAK; fundamental-frequency parameters are more important: the range (which is much wider in acute-accented mixed diphthongs) and the timing of the peak (which occurs much earlier in acute-accented mixed diphthongs) (for more detail, see Bacevičiūtė 2004: 86–113). More experimental attention has been devoted to acute-accented mixed diphthongs in the northern part of VAK with components i, u. These components were compared with the corresponding short vowels i, u and long vowels iː, uː. It was established that the mixed-diphthong components are approximately 1.7 times longer than short vowels and only 0.8 times shorter than long vowels. The researchers conclude that, in most northern VAK dialects (as in the Raseiniai subdialect of Southern Samogitian), half-long open components i., u. in acute-accented mixed diphthongs are more usual (for more detail, see Bacevičiūtė 2001: 12–19; Bacevičiūtė 2004: 89; Bacevičiūtė, Leskauskaitė 2004: 12–14; Vaišnienė, Bacevičiūtė 2005: 292–302). 7 In some places, two circumflex marks are written over both components, and in others, a single long mark. This variation most likely arose only because of printers’ technical capabilities. Straipsniai / Articles 197 RIMA BAKŠIENĖ 3. RESEARCH AIM, MATERIAL, AND METHODOLOGY This article analyzes in detail the quantity of mixed diphthongs in three VAK dialects—Marijampolė, Vilkaviškis, and Šakiai. The dialects were selected to represent VAK areas with different prosodic features in mixed-diphthong syllables (see Fig. 1, Table 1). 1 TABLE. Prosodic features of VAK mixed-diphthong syllables FEATURE DIALECT Mrj⁸ Vlkv Šk Acute components i, u lengthening + − − Sustained accent − − + The main aim of the article is to discuss in detail the quantitative structure of mixed-diphthong syllables in the western part of VAK and its correlation with prosodic elements (accents). The more specific objectives are: 1) to establish the quantitative features of mixed diphthongs with components a, e in the VAK dialects under study; 2) to establish the quantitative features of mixed diphthongs with components i, u in the VAK dialects under study; 3) to present the quantity relationships of mixed diphthongs in three different areas and establish the general patterns of mixed-diphthong syllable quantity in the western part of VAK. The material was recorded in the following locations: in Marijampolė District, in the village of Svetlica, Marijampolė eldership, about 10 km southwest of Marijampolė; in Vilkaviškis District, in the village of Trilaukis, Pajevonys eldership, about 20 km southwest of Vilkaviškis; in Šakiai District, in the town of Lukšiai, about 8 km east of Šakiai (see Fig. 1). Six speakers from each location participated in the study (three women and three men who spoke the local dialect as their native dialect; efforts were made to include representatives of both younger and older generations). The recording methodology was as follows: a female speaker with a good command of the dialect said the required sentence⁹, and a male speaker repeated it 3–5 times. The following words containing the required mixed diphthongs were recorded in short sentences: nukrito káltas po suolu: jis labai káltas buvo; ma(n) kárpa išdygo: viską kárpo tas vaikas; tu, tárnsta, ateik: jau pro tárnsą parėjo¹⁰; stalo kántas aštrus: čia krántas status; čia keltas buvo: mažai tèlpa į / in puodą; gerai 8 Abbreviations are explained at the end of the article. 9 We thank our colleague Ona Aleknavičienė from Marijampolė and Sigita Langaitienė from Vilkaviškis for their help with recording the material. 10 In the Marijampolė dialect, the sentence Megztinį tamšų nupirko, because the word tamsą is stressed in the Marijampolė dialect with a falling accent. 198 Acta Linguistica Lithuanica LXXI Vakarų aukštaičių kauniškių dvigarsiai: kiekybės santykiai that pig was fed: cheerfully chops that firewood; it gets dark early now: yesterday that rope was stretched; my son-in-law did it: one cent fell; the bridge over the river broke: the pot is still warm; it was meant for her: in autumn those hands were distributed; that child gets hoarse badly: that slice is packed hard; yesterday we bought a cupboard: in summer those flies swarm; simply (at)tacked11 that brute: all the boys came; that oven has already been (lit): all the property vanished; that table was (pushed): it was quite crooked; Kùnca came to our place: in summer that child (cools down). Using the computer sound-analysis program PRAAT, the sounds were segmented and the overall duration (ms) of the diphthong and the duration (ms, percent) of its first component12 were calculated13. The data were then transferred to EXCEL, where the required mean durations were calculated and graphs plotted. 4. OVERALL DURATION (ABSOLUTE LENGTH) First, it is useful to analyze the duration sequences of diphthongs in individual VAK dialects (see Table 2). They reveal an interaction between the inherent duration of diphthongs (dependent on the quality of their components) and their functional duration (determined by pitch accent)14 in different dialects. The table shows that in all dialects, the longest diphthongs are those with a falling accent and components a, e. The longest diphthong in the Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis dialects is él (327, 277 ms), while in Šakiai it is én (240 ms). At the top of the table, an initial, albeit slight, difference between the dialects can be discerned: at the top of the Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis lists are only diphthongs with a falling accent, whereas in Šakiai some rising-accent diphthongs are also very long—ēm (240 ms), ār (230 ms). When compiling these duration sequences, it was expected that the first eight longest diphthongs in all dialects would consist precisely of diphthongs with a falling accent and components a, e; however, in eighth place were rising-accent diphthongs: añ in Marijampolė and Šakiai (269, 213 ms), and eñ in Vilkaviškis (236 ms). 11 Unnecessary word oppositions were removed during segmentation of the material. 12 The duration of the second component is not discussed in the article because, as is apparent from the literature reviewed, the second component of VAK diphthongs is unproblematic; moreover, in most cases its duration depends on the duration of the first component. 13 In calculating overall duration, only absolute duration values were used because the word pairs under study were not minimal in most cases, making it impossible to calculate the relative duration of a diphthong, that is, what proportion of the total word duration is occupied by the diphthong. In the absence of minimal pairs, only the relative duration of the individual components of a diphthong can be calculated, that is, what proportion of the diphthong is occupied by one of its components. This ratio is expressed and discussed as a percentage in the article. 14 Dėl savaiminės ir funkcinės prozodijos terminų žr. Pakerys 1982: 10. Straipsniai / Articles 199 RIMA BAKŠIENĖ TABLE 2. Overall duration sequences of VAK diphthongs (ms) No. | Overall diphthong duration (ms) | Mrj | VIkv | Šk 1. | él | 327 | él | 277 | én | 240 2. | án | 305 | án | 252 | ēm | 240 3. | én | 284 | ēm | 251 | él | 233 4. | ēm | 283 | ám | 248 | ár | 232 5. | ám | 281 | én | 241 | ar̃ | 230 6. | ér | 279 | ér | 239 | án | 228 7. | ár | 279 | ál | 236 | ál | 216 8. | ań | 269 | eń | 236 | ań | 213 9. | ál | 267 | ár | 235 | eń | 213 10. | ún | 260 | ēm | 235 | ém | 211 11. | ēl | 251 | ēl | 229 | ín | 210 12. | ín | 250 | ań | 228 | am̃ | 208 13. | eń | 247 | iń | 221 | el̃ | 208 14. | íl | 247 | al̃ | 214 | ún | 208 15. | aĩ | 247 | ar̃ | 212 | uṃ | 203 16. | uṃ | 243 | iṃ | 210 | úl | 201 17. | iń | 238 | am̃ | 209 | uń | 199 18. | ír | 233 | uṃ | 209 | er̃ | 198 19. | úm | 232 | ún | 208 | iñ | 194 20. | ím | 231 | er̃ | 207 | al̃ | 194 21. | úl | 229 | ín | 207 | uł̃ | 194 22. | eṃ | 228 | uł̃ | 205 | úm | 192 23. | uł̃ | 226 | ír | 196 | úr | 192 24. | uń | 225 | ur̃ | 195 | ám | 190 25. | eṛ̃ | 222 | ím | 192 | ím | 174 26. | am̃ | 220 | íl | 192 | ur̃ | 173 27. | úr | 219 | il̃ | 191 | ér | 173 28. | ił̃ | 218 | uń | 191 | íl | 169 29. | ar̃ | 208 | úl | 183 | iṃ | 168 30 | iṃ | 206 | úm | 181 | ír | 167 31. | ir̃ | 205 | ir̃ | 179 | ił̃ | 147 32. | ur̃ | 198 | úr | 175 | ir̃ | 141 200 Acta Linguistica Lithuanica LXXI Vakarų aukštaičių kauniškių dvigarsiai: kiekybės santykiai In the second group of eight (rows 9–16), the difference between the Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis dialects becomes apparent: here we find the circumflex diphthongs of the Marijampolė dialect with components a, e and the acute diphthongs with i, u, whereas those of Vilkaviškis are exclusively circumflex, with various components. Thus, it can be seen that the acute diphthongs of the Marijampolė dialect with components i, u are considerably longer. The second group of eight for the Šakiai dialect is highly varied, and it is difficult to discern any clearer tendencies. In the third group of eight (rows 17–24), diphthongs with components i, u predominate in the Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis dialects, whereas in Šakiai there are more diphthongs with components a, e. At the bottom of the table (rows 25–32), the Marijampolė dialect shows almost exclusively circumflex diphthongs with various components, while the Vilkaviškis and Šakiai dialects show both acute and circumflex diphthongs, but only with components i, u. The shortest are ūr in the Marijampolė dialect (198 ms), úr in Vilkaviškis (175 ms), and ĩr in Šakiai (141 ms). Summarizing these preliminary observations, it can be stated that the overall-duration rankings of diphthongs reveal the following tendencies: acute diphthongs with components a, e are longer than their corresponding circumflex diphthongs in all dialects, although this difference is indistinct in the Šakiai dialect; in the group of diphthongs with components i, u, only the acute diphthongs of the Marijampolė dialect are longer, while the difference in Vilkaviškis and Šakiai is indistinct. The diphthongs should next be discussed separately: those with components a, e and those with i, u. Their quantitative relations and dependence on accentuation differ greatly across all three VAK dialects compared. Looking at the overall duration of diphthongs with components a, e (see Figs. 2–4, Table 3), we can observe that the relations between acute and circumflex diphthongs in this group are similar in the Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis dialects, but entirely different in the Šakiai dialect. The acute diphthongs in Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis are undoubtedly longer than the circumflex ones. In the Marijampolė dialect, the mean overall duration of acute diphthongs in this group is 288 ms, and that of circumflex diphthongs is 236 ms (1.22: 1); the duration difference is statistically significant in both cases. The duration difference between diphthongs in the Vilkaviškis dialect is smaller, with corresponding means and ratios of 247 and 221 ms (1.12: 1); the difference in duration is statistically reliable only for diphthongs with the component a. The overall duration of acute and circumflex diphthongs in the Šakiai dialect is practically the same—215 and 213 ms (1.01: 1)—as confirmed by statistical evaluation: in both cases, the Student’s criterion values are below the critical values at the 95% probability level. We see entirely different relations in the graphs and table depicting the overall duration of diphthongs with components i, u (see Figs. 5–7, Table 4). In terms of quantity, based on overall duration, the diphthongs of the Marijampolė and Šakiai dialects appear more similar. In the Marijampolė dialect, the mean overall durations of acute and circumflex diphthongs in this group are 238 and 219 ms (1.09: 1), respectively, while in Šakiai they are 189 and 177 ms (1.07: 1). However, only that of the Marijampolė dialect is statistically reliable Straipsniai / Articles 201 RIMA BAKŠIENĖ FIGS. 2–4. Overall duration (ms) of circumflex and acute diphthongs in VAK with the components a, e FIGS. 5–7. Overall duration (ms) of circumflex and acute diphthongs in VAK with the components i, u the duration difference for diphthongs with the component i; in all other cases, the Student’s t-test values are below the 95% probability threshold. In the Vilkaviškis subdialect, the ratio of the overall durations of acute and circumflex diphthongs is reversed—the circumflex diphthongs are very slightly longer: 191 and 200 ms (1: 1.05); however, this duration difference is also statistically insignificant. 202 Acta Linguistica Lithuanica LXXI Varakų aukštaičių kauniškių dvigarsiai: kiekybės santykiai TABLE 3. Statistical assessment of the overall duration of diphthongs with the components a, e15 Subdialect | Diphthong | n | x (ms) | s (ms) | v (%) | 95% confidence interval (ms) | t ≷ tₐ Mrj | áR | 24 | 288 | 15,9 | 6 | 258 ÷ 308 | t = 2,97 > t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 Mrj | aR̃ | 24 | 236 | 27,4 | 12 | 192 ÷ 280 Mrj | éR | 24 | 293 | 22,6 | 8 | 257 ÷ 329 | t = 4,22 > t₍₀,₉₉₎ = 3,71 Mrj | eR̃ | 24 | 237 | 14,2 | 6 | 214 ÷ 260 VIkv | áR | 24 | 243 | 8,5 | 4 | 229 ÷ 256 | t = 4,5 > t₍₀,₉₉₎ = 4,32 VIkv | aR̃ | 24 | 216 | 8,4 | 4 | 202 ÷ 229 VIkv | éR | 24 | 252 | 17,5 | 7 | 224 ÷ 279 | t = 2,29 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 VIkv | eR̃ | 24 | 226 | 13,5 | 6 | 205 ÷ 248 Šk | áR | 24 | 217 | 18,9 | 9 | 186 ÷ 247 | t = 0,44 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 Šk | aR̃ | 24 | 211 | 14,9 | 7 | 188 ÷ 235 Šk | éR | 24 | 215 | 30,2 | 14 | 166 ÷ 262 | t = 0,03 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 Šk | eR̃ | 24 | 215 | 17,6 | 8 | 186 ÷ 243 TABLE 4. Statistical assessment of the overall duration of diphthongs with the components i, u Subdialect | Diphthong | n | x (ms) | s (ms) | v (%) | 95% confidence interval (ms) | t ≷ tₐ Mrj | íR | 24 | 240 | 9,6 | 4 | 224 ÷ 255 | t = 2,59 > t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 Mrj | iR̃ | 24 | 216 | 15,4 | 7 | 192 ÷ 241 Mrj | úR | 24 | 235 | 17,6 | 8 | 207 ÷ 262 | t = 0,94 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 Mrj | uR̃ | 24 | 223 | 18,6 | 8 | 193 ÷ 252 VIkv | íR | 24 | 196 | 7,1 | 4 | 185 ÷ 208 | t = 0,35 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 VIkv | iR̃ | 24 | 200 | 18,8 | 9 | 170 ÷ 230 VIkv | úR | 24 | 186 | 14,5 | 8 | 163 ÷ 209 | t = 1,58 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 VIkv | uR̃ | 24 | 200 | 8,4 | 4 | 186 ÷ 213 Šk | íR | 24 | 180 | 20,2 | 11 | 147 ÷ 212 | t = 1,12 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 Šk | iR̃ | 24 | 162 | 23,9 | 15 | 124 ÷ 200 Šk | úR | 24 | 198 | 7,8 | 4 | 185 ÷ 210 | t = 0,78 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 Šk | uR̃ | 24 | 192 | 13,4 | 7 | 171 ÷ 213 15 Symbol meanings: n – number of tokens analyzed, x – arithmetic mean duration, s – standard deviation, v – coefficient of variation (the two slanted dimensions indicate how far the values of the analyzed tokens are from the calculated mean duration), confidence interval – confidence interval, t – Student’s t-test value, tₐ – critical probability value (95 or 99%). Straipsniai / Articles 203 RIMA BAKŠIENĖ After summarizing the data and comparing the duration of diphthongs in three VAK dialects (see Table 5), it can be seen that, across all groups, the diphthongs of the Marijampolė dialect tend to be the longest, followed by those of the Vilkaviškis dialect, while the diphthongs of the Šakiai dialect tend to be the shortest in most cases16. TABLE 5. Summarized mean total duration (ms) and ratios for VAK Diphthong type Mean duration (ms) Duration ratio Mrj VIkv Šk Mrj VIkv Šk Tvp a, e 288 247 215 1,33 1,14 1,00 Tvp i, u 238 192 189 1,26 1,02 1,00 Tvg a, e 237 221 213 1,11 1,04 1,00 Tvg i, u 220 200 177 1,24 1,13 1,00 The most pronounced difference among the three dialects is observed when comparing acute-accented diphthongs with components a, e. The mean total durations of this group of diphthongs in the Marijampolė, Vilkaviškis, and Šakiai dialects are 288, 247, and 215 ms (1.33: 1.14: 1). The ratios for acute-accented diphthongs with components i, u are quite different: the Marijampolė dialect stands apart, where these diphthongs are undoubtedly longer than in the other two VAK dialects. The mean total durations of these diphthongs in Marijampolė, Vilkaviškis, and Šakiai are 238, 192, and 189 ms (1.26: 1.02: 1). The differences between circumflex-accented diphthongs in the individual dialects are smaller. The mean total durations of circumflex-accented diphthongs with components a, e in the Marijampolė, Vilkaviškis, and Šakiai dialects are 237, 221, and 213 ms (1.11: 1.04: 1), while those with components i, u measure 220, 200, and 177 ms (1.24: 1.13: 1). 5. DURATION OF THE FIRST COMPONENT (ABSOLUTE LENGTH) One of the most important parameters for differentiating diphthong intonations is undoubtedly the duration of the first component. The dialects of VAK examined also differ in the duration of the first component. The results of measuring the absolute duration of the first component are presented in Table 6. 16 It is understandable that the absolute values of total duration depend greatly on the speakers’ rate of speech, expressiveness, and so on; however, after calculating the mean duration of diphthongs for each speaker, analogous relationships recur, so it is reasonable to assume that they reflect general tendencies across the three dialects. 204 Acta Linguistica Lithuanica LXXI Vakarų aukštaičių kauniškių dvigarsiai: kiekybės santykiai TABLE 6. Duration of the first component of VAK diphthongs (ms) Example | Duration of the first component (ms) | Mrj | Vlkv | Šk | Example | Duration of the first component (ms) | Mrj | Vlkv | Šk k<ál>tas: k<al̃>tas | 168 | 144 | 129 | t<íl>tas: š<íl>tas | 132 | 80 | 97 k<ár>pa: k<ár>po | 190 | 154 | 157 | sk<ír>tas: sk<ír>sta | 139 | 104 | 98 t<ám>sta: t<am̃>sq/ų | 188 | 146 | 110 | k<ím>sta: k<im̃>stas | 128 | 83 | 78 k<án>tas: kr<añ>tas | 197 | 151 | 132 | sp<ín>tq: sp<iñ>ta | 135 | 82 | 115 k<él>tas: t<el̃>pa | 212 | 174 | 122 | p<úl>tas: p<ul̃>kas | 127 | 96 | 123 š<ér>tas: k<er̃>ta | 195 | 161 | 136 | k<úr>tas: t<ur̃>tas | 135 | 94 | 103 t<ém>sta: t<em̃>ptas | 191 | 153 | 125 | st<úm>tas: k<um̃>pas | 112 | 69 | 85 ž<én>tas: c<eñ>tas | 189 | 156 | 165 | K<ún>ca: k<uñ>ta | 148 | 99 | 113 Differences among the three dialects are clearly visible in the graphs depicting the length of the first component in acute- and circumflex-accented diphthongs. It is also useful to discuss them separately: those with components a, e and those with i, u. In the group of diphthongs with components a, e (see Figs. 8–10, Table 7), the relationships among diphthongs in the Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis dialects are more similar both in terms of overall duration and in terms of the duration of the first component. The Šakiai dialect differs clearly from them. In the Marijampolė dialect, the mean duration of the first component in acute- and circumflex-accented diphthongs in this group is 191 and 124 ms (1.54: 1); in Vilkaviškis, it is 155 and 116 ms (1.33: 1). In both cases, the differences are also confirmed by statistical analysis. In the Šakiai dialect, the duration of the first component in these diphthongs was almost identical: 135 and 130 ms (1.04: 1); the difference is also statistically insignificant. The group of diphthongs with components i, u (see Figs. 11–13, Table 8) presents an entirely different picture. In the Marijampolė dialect, the first component of acute-accented diphthongs is clearly longer—132 and 108 ms (1.22: 1)—and statistical analysis supports the difference in the duration of the first component between diphthongs with different intonations. In the Vilkaviškis and Šakiai dialects, differences in the duration of the first component are very small. It is worth noting that in the Vilkaviškis dialect it is the first component of circumflex-accented diphthongs, not acute-accented ones, that tends to be very slightly longer—88 and 91 ms (1: 1.03). In the Šakiai dialect, the first component of acute-accented diphthongs is slightly longer—102 and 98 ms (1.04: 1)—but these differences are statistically insignificant in both dialects. Straipsniai / Articles 205 RIMA BAKŠIENĖ FIGS. 8–10. Duration of the first element (ms) in VAK acute- and circumflex-accented diphthongs with elements a, e FIGS. 11–13. Duration of the first element (ms) in VAK acute- and circumflex-accented diphthongs with first elements i, u TABLE 7. Statistical assessment of the duration of the first element in diphthongs with elements a, e Dialect | Diphthong | n | x (ms) | s (ms) | v (%) | 95% confidence interval (ms) | t ≥ tₐ | Mrj | <á>R | 24 | 185 | 12,5 | 7 | 165 ÷ 205 | t = 5,93 > t₍₀,₉₉₎ = 4,32 | <a>R̃ | 24 | 122 | 17,4 | 14 | 94 ÷ 150 | | <é>R | 24 | 196 | 10,4 | 5 | 180 ÷ 213 | t = 11,37 > t₍₀,₉₉₎ = 5,96 | <e>R̃ | 24 | 124 | 7,1 | 6 | 113 ÷ 136 206 Acta Linguistica Lithuanica LXXI Vakarų aukštaičių kauniškių dvigarsiai: kiekybės santykiai Dialect | Diphthong | n | x (ms) | s (ms) | v (%) | 95% confidence interval (ms) | t ≷ tₐ VlkV | <á>R; <a>R̃ | 24; 24 | 148; 110 | 4,5; 11,5 | 3; 10 | 141 ÷ 156; 91 ÷ 128 | t = 6,25 > t₍₀,₉₉₎ = 5,96 VlkV | <é>R; <e>R̃ | 24; 24 | 161; 122 | 9,2; 11,2 | 6; 9 | 146 ÷ 175; 104 ÷ 140 | t = 5,34 > t₍₀,₉₉₎ = 4,31 Šk | <á>R; <a>R̃ | 24; 24 | 132; 127 | 19,3; 13,2 | 14; 10 | 101 ÷ 162; 106 ÷ 148 | t = 0,36 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 Šk | <é>R; <e>R̃ | 24; 24 | 137; 132 | 19,6; 4,2 | 14; 3 | 105 ÷ 168; 125 ÷ 138 | t = 0,5 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 TABLE 8. Statistical assessment of the duration of the first element in diphthongs with elements i, u Dialect | Diphthong | n | x (ms) | s (ms) | v (%) | 95% confidence interval (ms) | t ≷ tₐ Mrj | <í>R; <i>R̃ | 24; 24 | 133; 108 | 4,6; 8,6 | 4; 8 | 126 ÷ 140; 94 ÷ 121 | t = 5,21 > t₍₀,₉₉₎ = 4,32 Mrj | <ú>R; <u>R̃ | 24; 24 | 130; 108 | 15,1; 4,2 | 12; 4 | 106 ÷ 154; 101 ÷ 114 | t = 2,88 > t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 VlkV | <í>R; <i>R̃ | 24; 24 | 87; 89 | 11,2; 6,2 | 13; 7 | 69 ÷ 105; 79 ÷ 98 | t = 0,27 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 VlkV | <ú>R; <u>R̃ | 24; 24 | 89; 92 | 13,8; 10 | 15; 10 | 67 ÷ 111; 76 ÷ 107 | t = 0,29 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 Šk | <í>R; <i>R̃ | 24; 24 | 97; 86 | 15,1; 12,8 | 16; 15 | 72 ÷ 121; 66 ÷ 106 | t = 1,06 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 Šk | <ú>R; <u>R̃ | 24; 24 | 106; 108 | 16,2; 18,6 | 15; 17 | 80 ÷ 131; 78 ÷ 138 | t = 0,2 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 Summarized data on the duration of the first element are presented in Table 9. TABLE 9. Summarized VAK means (ms) and ratios for the duration of the first element Diphthong type | Mean duration (ms): Mrj | VlkV | Šk | Duration ratio: Mrj | VlkV | Šk Tvp a, e | 191 | 155 | 135 | 1,42 | 1,15 | 1,00 Tvp i, u | 132 | 88 | 102 | 1,50 | 1,00 | 1,16 Tvg a, e | 124 | 116 | 130 | 1,07 | 1,00 | 1,12 Tvg i, u | 108 | 91 | 98 | 1,19 | 1,00 | 1,08 S t r a i p s n i a i / A r t i c l e s 207 RIMA BAKŠIENĖ When comparing the duration of the first element of the acute diphthongs in the VAK dialects studied, two things are apparent: in all dialects, acute elements a, e tend to lengthen more than i, u; the acute elements in the Marijampolė dialect all tend to lengthen more than those in the other two dialects. These tendencies are confirmed by mean durations and ratios. In the Marijampolė, Vilkaviškis, and Šakiai dialects, the mean duration of the first element of acute diphthongs with elements a, e is 191, 155, and 135 ms (1.42: 1.15: 1), respectively; for the corresponding diphthongs with elements i, u, it is 132, 88, and 102 ms (1.5: 1: 1.16). Differences in the duration of the first elements of circumflex diphthongs are small in all the dialects studied. In the Marijampolė, Vilkaviškis, and Šakiai dialects, the mean durations of the first element of diphthongs with elements a, e are 124, 116, and 130 ms (1.07: 1: 1.12), respectively; for the corresponding diphthongs with elements i, u, they are 108, 91, and 98 ms (1.19: 1: 1.08). 6. DURATION OF THE FIRST ELEMENT (PERCENTAGE LENGTH) More precise quantitative relations and differences between the dialects studied are revealed by examining the percentage length of the first element. In these studies, the percentage of the total diphthong duration accounted for by the first element was calculated. The results are presented in Table 10. TABLE 10. Duration of the first element of VAK diphthongs (percent) Example | Duration of the first element (percent) | Mrj | Vlkv | Šk | Example | Duration of the first element (percent) | Mrj | Vlkv | Šk | k<ál>tas: k<al>tas | 62,9 60,9 59,7 | 47,9 46,9 64,4 | t<íl>tas: š<íl>tas | 53,5 41,7 57,3 | 47,2 43,6 57,1 | k<ár>pa: k<ar>po | 68,0 65,6 67,6 | 54,1 53,5 63,0 | sk<ír>tas: sk<ir>sta | 59,7 53,2 58,6 | 57,6 54,4 60,2 | t<ám>sta: t<am>sq/ų | 66,7 59,1 57,8 | 50,5 48,4 54,3 | k<ím>sta: k<im>štas | 55,5 43,2 44,8 | 48,1 41,8 43,4 | k<án>tas: kr<an>tas | 64,4 60,1 57,8 | 55,1 54,7 60,1 | sp<ín>tą: sp<in>ta | 54,2 39,9 54,7 | 46,9 43,8 53,6 | k<él>tas: t<el>pa | 64,7 62,7 52,3 | 49,1 50,4 62,0 | p<úl>tas: p<ul>kas | 55,7 52,3 61,2 | 47,4 47,7 70,1 | š<ér>tas: k<er>ta | 69,9 67,6 78,6 | 60,1 62,1 66,7 | k<úr>tas: t<ur>tas | 61,5 53,7 53,6 | 55 50,3 58,3 | t<ém>sta: t<em>ptas | 67,6 61,1 59,2 | 50,8 47,3 53,7 | st<úm>tas: k<um>pas | 48,1 38,2 44,2 | 42,6 40,3 50,2 | ž<én>tas: c<en>tas | 66,4 64,6 68,7 | 51,5 57,3 64,7 | K<ún>ca: k<un>ta | 57,1 47,3 54,3 | 50,3 43,6 47,7 208 Acta Linguistica Lithuanica LXXI Vakarų aukštaičių kauniškių dvigarsiai: kiekybės santykiai FIGS. 14–16. Duration of the first element (percent) in VAK acute and circumflex diphthongs with first elements a, e FIGS. 17–19. Duration of the first element (percent) in VAK acute and circumflex diphthongs with first elements i, u In the group of diphthongs with elements a, e (see Figs. 14–16, Table 11), the percentage length of the first element is similar in the Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis dialects. In acute diphthongs in the Marijampolė dialect, the first element accounts for 66.4 percent, and in circumflex diphthongs for 52.5 percent (1.27: 1); in Vilkaviškis, the corresponding figures are 62.8 and 52.5 percent (1.2: 1). These differences are also supported by statistical evaluation. The situation in the Šakiai dialect is quite different. The percentage-length results show even more clearly that the duration of the first element is not a significant criterion for distinguishing accent types in this dialect. In this group of acute diphthongs in the Šakiai dialect, the first element accounts for 62.9 percent, compared with 61 percent in circumflex diphthongs (1.03: 1); the differences are not statistically significant. Straipsniai / Articles 209 RIMA BAKŠIENĖ TABLE 11. Statistical assessment of the duration of the first component of diphthongs with components a, e Dialect | Diphthong | n | x (ms) | s (ms) | v (%) | 95% confidence interval (ms) | t ≷ tₐ; Mrj | <á>R | 24 | 65,5 | 2,3 | 3,5 | 61,9 ÷ 69,1 | t = 6,75 > t₍₀,₉₉₉₎ = 5,96; <a>R̃ | 24 | 51,9 | 3,3 | 6,4 | 46,6 ÷ 57,2; <é>R | 24 | 67,2 | 2,2 | 3,3 | 63,7 ÷ 70,6 | t = 5,3 > t₍₀,₉₉₅₎ = 4,32; <e>R̃ | 24 | 52,9 | 4,9 | 9,3 | 45,1 ÷ 60,7; Vlkv | <á>R | 24 | 61,4 | 2,9 | 4,7 | 56,8 ÷ 66,0 | t = 4,42 > t₍₀,₉₉₅₎ = 4,32; <a>R̃ | 24 | 50,9 | 3,8 | 7,5 | 44,8 ÷ 56,9; <é>R | 24 | 64 | 2,8 | 4,4 | 59,6 ÷ 68,5 | t = 2,67 > t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45; <e>R̃ | 24 | 54,3 | 6,7 | 12,3 | 43,6 ÷ 64,9; Šk | <á>R | 24 | 60,7 | 4,7 | 7,8 | 53,3 ÷ 68,2 | t = 0,09 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45; <a>R̃ | 24 | 60,5 | 4,5 | 7,4 | 53,3 ÷ 67,6; <é>R | 24 | 64,7 | 11,5 | 17,7 | 46,5 ÷ 82,9 | t = 0,46 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45; <e>R̃ | 24 | 61,8 | 5,7 | 9,3 | 52,7 ÷ 70,9 In the group of diphthongs with components i, u (see Figs. 17–19, Table 12), the Marijampolė dialect again stands out. The percentage-duration data confirm that in this dialect the components of acute-accented diphthongs are considerably longer. The first component of acute-accented diphthongs in the Marijampolė dialect accounts for 55.9%, while that of circumflex-accented diphthongs accounts for 49.4% (1.13: 1). However, the difference is not statistically significant; thus, the lengthening of the first components of acute-accented diphthongs in this group is undoubtedly less pronounced than the lengthening of components a, e. The situation in the Vilkaviškis and Šakiai dialects is similar: there is no significant difference between the first components of acute- and circumflex-accented diphthongs in this group. The first component in the Vilkaviškis dialect accounts for 46.1% and 45.8% (1.01: 1), while the corresponding figures for Šakiai are 53.6% and 55% (1: 1.03). TABLE 12. Statistical assessment of the duration of the first component of diphthongs with components i, u Dialect | Diphthong | n | x (ms) | s (ms) | v (%) | 95% confidence interval (ms) | t ≷ tₐ; Mrj | <í>R | 24 | 55,7 | 2,8 | 5,0 | 51,3 ÷ 60,1 | t = 1,98 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45; <i>R̃ | 24 | 50 | 5,1 | 10,3 | 41,8 ÷ 58,1; <ú>R | 24 | 55,6 | 5,6 | 10,0 | 46,7 ÷ 64,5 | t = 1,78 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45; <u>R̃ | 24 | 48,8 | 5,2 | 10,6 | 40,6 ÷ 57,1; Vlkv | <í>R | 24 | 44,5 | 6,0 | 13,4 | 35,0 ÷ 54,0 | t = 0,34 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45; <i>R̃ | 24 | 45,9 | 5,7 | 12,5 | 36,8 ÷ 55,0; <ú>R | 24 | 47,9 | 7,0 | 14,6 | 36,7 ÷ 59,0 | t = 0,58 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45; <u>R̃ | 24 | 45,5 | 4,4 | 9,7 | 38,5 ÷ 52,5 210 Acta Linguistica Lithuanica LXXI Vakarų aukštaičių kauniškių dvigarsiai: kiekybės santykiai Dialect | Diphthong | n | x (ms) | s (ms) | v (%) | 95% confidence interval (ms) | t ≷ tₐ; Šk | <ĭ>R | 24 | 53,9 | 6,3 | 11,6 | 43,9 ÷ 63,8 | t = 0,06 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 | <ĭ>R̃ | 24 | 53,6 | 7,3 | 13,6 | 42,0 ÷ 65,2 | | <ú>R | 24 | 53,3 | 7,0 | 13,1 | 42,2 ÷ 64,4 | t = 0,53 < t₍₀,₉₅₎ = 2,45 | <u>R̃ | 24 | 56,6 | 10,1 | 17,8 | 40,5 ÷ 72,6 | The aggregated percentage-duration data are presented in Table 13. TABLE 13. Aggregated mean durations of the first component in VAK (percentages) and ratios Diphthong type | Mean duration (%) | | | Duration ratio | | | Mrj | Vlkv | Šk | Mrj | Vlkv | Šk Tvp a, e | 66,4 | 62,8 | 62,9 | 1,06 | 1,00 | 1,002 Tvp i, u | 55,9 | 46,1 | 53,6 | 1,21 | 1,00 | 1,160 Tvg a, e | 52,5 | 52,5 | 61,0 | 1,00 | 1,00 | 1,160 Tvg i, u | 49,4 | 45,8 | 55,0 | 1,08 | 1,00 | 1,200 When assessing the percentage duration of acute-accented diphthongs in the three dialects (see Table 7), it should be noted that in this case the duration differences obtained are much smaller than those calculated for absolute duration (see Table 5). In the group of diphthongs with components a, e, the duration of the first component differed very little: the means for the Marijampolė, Vilkaviškis, and Šakiai dialects are 66.4%, 62.8%, and 62.9% (1.06: 1: 1.002). Differences are more pronounced in the group of diphthongs with components i, u. The first components of this group’s diphthongs in the Vilkaviškis dialect proved to be the shortest; the Marijampolė and Šakiai dialects have similar values—55.9%, 46.1%, and 53.6% (1.21: 1: 1.16). The ratios for circumflex-accented diphthongs are different. The duration of the first components of diphthongs with components a, e is similar in the Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis dialects, whereas in the Šakiai dialect they are considerably longer—52.5%, 52.5%, and 61% (1: 1: 1.16); for the corresponding diphthongs with components i, u, the figures are 49.4%, 45.8%, and 55% (1.08: 1: 1.2). 7. SUMMARY OF RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS In terms of overall duration, acute-accented diphthongs with components a, e are the longest in all dialects. In the Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis dialects, they are significantly longer than the corresponding circumflex-accented diphthongs, whereas in the Šakiai dialect, the duration difference between diphthongs with different accentual intonations is indistinct. Straipsniai / Articles 211 RIMA BAKŠIENĖ The overall duration of diphthongs with components i, u is shorter. In all dialects, the difference between acute- and circumflex-accented diphthongs in this group is very small. In the Marijampolė and Šakiai dialects, acute-accented diphthongs tend to be slightly longer, while in Vilkaviškis, circumflex-accented ones do. In terms of overall duration, the diphthongs of the Marijampolė dialect are the longest, and those of Šakiai the shortest. This is most likely related to the differing lengthening of the first component in VAK dialects. In the group of diphthongs with components a, e, the duration of the first component is undoubtedly an important indicator of accentual intonation in the Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis dialects. In the Šakiai dialect, the first component of acute-accented diphthongs does not differ significantly from that of circumflex-accented ones, so its duration should not be considered a fundamental indicator of accentual intonation. This is related to the sustained accentual intonation found in the dialect. In the group of diphthongs with components i, u, the duration of the first component clearly distinguishes accentual intonations only in the Marijampolė dialect, whereas in the Vilkaviškis and Šakiai dialects this feature does not produce a significant difference. A comparison of the first components of diphthongs in the three VAK dialects examined reveals the following relationships. The components a, e of acute-accented diphthongs have very similar durations in all dialects (the ratio for Marijampolė, Vilkaviškis, and Šakiai is 1.06: 1: 1.002). Thus, these components do not differ significantly in any dialect, and are therefore most likely all to be regarded as half-long17. The ratio of the components i, u of acute-accented diphthongs in the Marijampolė, Vilkaviškis, and Šakiai dialects is 1.21: 1: 1.16. Thus, these components should be regarded as half-long in the Marijampolė and Šakiai dialects, and as short in Vilkaviškis. The components a, e of circumflex-accented diphthongs have exactly the same duration in the Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis dialects, while those in Šakiai are longer (ratio 1: 1: 1.16). Thus, these components in the Šakiai dialect should be regarded as half-long, lengthened by the sustained accentual intonation. The ratio of the components i, u of circumflex-accented diphthongs in the Marijampolė, Vilkaviškis, and Šakiai dialects is 1.08: 1: 1.2. In the Šakiai dialect, they too should undoubtedly be regarded as half-long. ABBREVIATIONS Mrj – Marijampolė Šk – Šakiai Tvg – falling accent Tvp – rising accent VAK – Western Highlanders of Kaunas VIkv – Vilkaviškis 17 In future, for a more precise interpretation of duration, they should be compared with the short and long vowels of each dialect. 212 Acta Linguistica Lithuanica LXXI Vakarų aukštaičių kauniškių dvigarsiai: kiekybės santykiai LITERATŪRA Bacevičiūtė Rima 2004: Šakių šnektos prozodija ir vokalizmas. Vilnius: Lietuvių kalbos institutas. Bacevičiūtė Rima 2005: Keletas pastabų dėl Šakių šnektos transkripcijos. – Baltų kalbų tarmės: rašytinis palikimas. Šiauliai: Discens, 36–44. Bacevičiūtė Rima, Leskauskaitė Asta 2004: Akūtinių dvigarsių pirmųjų dėmenų i, u trukmė aukštaičių šnektose. – Baltų ir kitų kalbų fonetikos ir akcentologijos problemos. Vilnius: Vilniaus pedagoginis universitetas, 9–20. GAT 2008: Griškabūdžio apylinkių tekstai, sudarė Rima Bacevičiūtė, Vilija Sakalauskienė. Vilnius: Lietuvių kalbos institutas. Jaroslavienė Jurgita 2010: Rytinių kauniškių Prienų šnektos fonologija. Daktaro disertacija. Vilnius: Vilniaus universitetas. JAT 2013: Jurbarko apylinkių tekstai, sudarė Vilija Sakalauskienė. Vilnius: Lietuvių kalbos institutas. LKA 1982: Lietuvių kalbos atlasas 2. Fonetika, ats. redaktorius Kazys Morkūnas. Vilnius: Mokslas. LKT 1970: Lietuvių kalbos tarmės: chrestomatija. Vilnius: Mintis. LKTChr 2004: Lietuvių kalbos tarmių chrestomatija. Vilnius: Lietuvių kalbos institutas. LKTF 2003: Daiva Atkočaitytė, Regina Rinkauskienė. Lietuvių kalbos tarmių fonetika: mokomoji knyga. Vilnius: Vilniaus pedagoginio universiteto leidykla. Markevičienė Žaneta 2001: Aukštaičių tarmių tekstai 2. Vilnius: Vilniaus universiteto leidykla. Pakerys Antanas 1982: Lietuvių bendrinės kalbos prozodija. Vilnius: Mokslas. Pakerys Antanas 2003: Lietuvių bendrinės kalbos fonetika. Vilnius: Enciklopedija. ŠŠT 2006: Šakių šnektos tekstai, sudarė Rima Bacevičiūtė. Vilnius: Lietuvių kalbos institutas. Vaišnienė Daiva, Bacevičiūtė Rima 2005: Dėl pietų žemaičių raseiniškių ir šiaurinių vakarų aukštaičių kauniškių dvigarsių [i, u + l, m, n, r]. – Kalbos istorijos ir dialektologijos problemos 1. Vilnius: Lietuvių kalbos institutas, 292–303. VAKKA 2005: Vakarų aukštaičiai kauniškiai ir Klaipėdos krašto aukštaičiai: mokomoji knyga, sudarė Rima Bacevičiūtė, Danguolė Mikulėnienė, Vilija Salienė. Vilnius: Lietuvių kalbos institutas. Zinkevičius Zigmas 1966: Lietuvių dialektologija. Vilnius: Mintis. Zinkevičius Zigmas 1994: Lietuvių kalbos dialektologija. Vilnius: Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidykla. Straipsniai / Articles 213 RIMA BAKŠIENĖ The Diphthongs of West Highlanders in Kaunas Area: Quantitative Ratio SUMMARY The article analyses the quantity of semi-diphthongs in three subdialects of West highlanders in Kaunas area (hereinafter referred to as VAK) namely: Marijampolė, Vilkaviškis and Šakiai. The analysed subdialects feature various syllable accent allophones: Marijampolė subdialect elongates the first components of acute accents with i and u, Šakiai subdialect possesses the so called continuous accent, meanwhile Vilkaviškis subdialect has none of the aforementioned features thus the prosodic composition of diphthong syllables is closest to the standard language. The article also discusses the the interpretation of VAK diphthongs quantity and marking in Lithuanian tradition of dialectology. The research results showed that the longest diphthongs are the acute diphthongs containing a and e and it is typical to all subdialects. They are substantially longer in Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis subdialects than circumflex variants; meanwhile in Šakiai subdialect this difference in length is not so sharp. The common length of diphthongs with i and u is shorter. The difference between the acute and circumflex diphthongs of this group is very slight in all subdialects. The acute diphthongs tend to be slightly longer in Marijampolė and Šakiai subdialects, meanwhile circumflex diphthongs have a tendency to be slightly longer in Vilkaviškis subdialect. Apparently, this is due to different elongation of the first component in VAK subdialects. The length of the first component of diphthongs with a and e is an important accent feature in Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis subdialects. The duration of the first component in Šakiai subdialect is not considered as a crucial feature of accent. It is related to the existing continuous accent prevailing in the subdialect. In the group of diphthongs with i and u the duration of the first component clearly distinguishes accents only in Marijampolė subdialect, meanwhile in Vilkaviškis and Šakiai subdialects this feature loses importance. The components of acute diphthongs a and e are of similar length. The ratio of the components of acute diphthongs i and u in Marijampolė, Vilkaviškis and Šakiai subdialects is 1.21:1.16. Thus, in Marijampolė and Šakiai subdialects they are considered as semi long, meanwhile in Vilkaviškis subdialect they are short. The components of circumflex diphthongs a and e are of the same length in Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis subdialects, meanwhile in Šakiai subdialect they are shorter (at a ratio 1:1:1.16). Therefore, the components of diphthongs in Šakiai subdialect are considered as semi long and elongated due to continuous accent. The ratio of the components of circumflex diphthongs with i and u in Marijampolė, Vilkaviškis and Šakiai subdialects is 1.08:1:1.2. They are undoubtedly considered as semi long in Šakiai subdialect. Įteikta 2014 m. rugsėjo 30 d. RIMA BAKŠIENĖ Lietuvių kalbos institutas Petro Vileišio g. 5, LT-10308 Vilnius, Lietuva [email protected] 214 Acta Linguistica Lithuanica LXXI