Consonants

Question 1

Latin pron., old Span, mod Span

What happened to Latin /v/ in initial position?

Answer 1

Latin pronunciation: [w]
Old Spanish: /β/ (bilabial fricative/approximant)
Mod. Spanish: /b/ (bilabial stop)

Question 2

Describe the contrast between /β/ and /b/ in Latin/Old Spanish

Answer 2

• was a phonemic contrast with /b/ and Latin letter b
• continued into old Spanish
• modern Spanish no residue of contrast (/β/ prohibited in initial position)
• 15th C contrast lost

Question 3

Latin pronunciation, developed to

Describe the development Latin /v/ in intervocalic position

Answer 3

Latin pronunciation: [w]
Developed to: /β/ (bilabial fricative/approximant)

Question 4

Medieval Spanish reflex for Latin v and b

Answer 4

• no separate reflex
• /β/ used in both cases

Question 5

Describe the nature of Latin /i/ in initial position before stressed non-back vowels

Answer 5

Latin pronunciation: /ʝ/ (palatal fricative)
Modern Spanish: /ʝ/

• the affricate [ɟʝ] is an allophone of /ʝ/

Question 6

Describe the nature of Latin /i/ in initial position before unstressed non-back vowels

Answer 6

No reflex in modern Spanish

Question 7

Describe the development of Latin /i/ in initial position before back vowels

Answer 7

[ʝ] > [ʒ] > [ʃ] >[x]

1. old Spanish: [ʒ]
   - Devoicing
2. then: [ʃ]
   - Retraction to the velar position
3. Modern reflex: [x]

Question 8

Describe the developement of Latin /i/ in intervocalic position

Answer 8

Latin: phonetic correlate geminate [jj]
Then: /ʝʝ/
Process: lenition/weakening
Modern Spanish reflex: /ʝ/

Question 9

What does /k/ represent and how was it shown in Latin writing?

Answer 9

• voiceless velar stop
• c,q (in unit qu) and ch (in Greek loanwords)

Question 10

Summarise the development of /k/ before front vowels

Answer 10

[c] > /ts/ > /ts, dz/ > /θ, ð/ > /θ/

Question 11

Explain the development of /k/ before front vowels in initial position