A Number of Common Lenition and Fortition Processes in Different Dialects of Mazandaran Province

Subject Areas : Linguistics,dialectology,folklore,literature

Aliyeh KambuziyaKord Zafaranlu ¹ (Department of Linguistics, Tarbiat Modares University)
Atena Behzadfar ² (Linguistics Department, Tarbiat Modares University)

Received: 2023-10-26 Accepted : 2023-11-29 Published : 2023-08-23

Keywords: phonological processes, language varieties, Mazandarani dialect, lenition, fortition,

Abstract :

Mazandarani Dialect is typologically placed in the group of Northwestern Iranian Languages; and therefore, some of its phonological processes are different from the group of Southwestern Iranian Languages. The purpose of this research is to introduce Lenition and Fortition processes and express their characteristics in the Language Varieties of Mazandaran Province. Most of the data of this research was obtained through interviewing and recording the speech of 30 speakers from 15 cities of Mazandaran Province, including "Sari, Babol, Babolsar, Amol, Qaem Shahr, Savadkooh, Noor, Nowshahr, Chalus, Abbas Abad, Mahmood Abad, Fereydun-Kenar, Behshahr, Tonekabon, and Kelardasht" have been collected, categorized, described and analyzed. In addition, sources such as articles, theses and dictionaries written about this dialect have also been used. The researchers directly interviewed the speakers and recorded the required information. The most important results can be summarized in a few cases: 1) the glide /j/ is removed in the coda of the syllable after a vowel in all varieties of Mazandaran Province. 2) The three Vowels /a/, /o/, /e/ turns to central vowel /ә/ which is named Centralization. 3) The voiced stop consonant /d/ turns to approximant [j] after the vowel. 4) A glottal stop inserts at the beginning of those words which begin with /s/ or /š/. 5) Consonants /f/ and /v/ turns to [b] at the beginning of the syllable.