Variation of k’ / t’ as a Characteristic Feature of the German Mennonites Language in Siberia

The article is based on the material of one of the Germanic languages represented in Siberia, known in the world as Plautdietsch or the Low German language (dialect) of the Mennonites. One of the striking features of the Plautdietsch consonant system is considered – the variation of the k’/t’ sound types in certain positions in the word, primarily in combination with the vowels of the front row (k’int / t’int ‘child’, k’oak’ / t’oat’ ‘church’), as well as in some consonant combinations (for example, drin’k’ә / drin’t’ә to ‘drink’, ma:lk’ / ma:lt’ ‘milk’). The use of k’ or t’, respectively, was considered by some researchers to be the markers of two dialects within the Mennonite language: k’ – Chortiza and t’ – Molotscha. From a diachronic point of view, these sounds go back to the common German k; they appeared as a result of the so-called Frisian palatalization. Archival dialectological material confirms the use of these two sounds in the Mennonite colonies of southern Russia at the beginning of the last century.

In the settlements of Siberia, where there are a large number of Plautdietsch speakers, according to our observations, the forms with t’ were used according to the Molochna type (t’oat’ ‘church’, t’int ‘child’, veat’ ‘week’).

A new impetus to the exploration of this alternation was given by the material collected during the last linguistic expedition to the village of Apollonovka in the Omsk region, where a large isolated community of Plautdietsch speakers is located. In the speech of the inhabitants of this village, the use of t’ (Molochna type) prevails in all these positions, however, the forms on k’ used by some carriers were also recorded (so, you can hear ma:lk’ / ma:lt’ ‘milk’, k’in’a / t’in’a ‘children’ and so on). At the same time, both forms are recognized by the informants as correct.

The assumption is made that these sound types cannot be regarded as consonants marking different dialects, but rather as optional variants.

A sound was also recorded that was not mentioned in the studies earlier (s’t’), which appears in preposition to sonorants, especially before -l: k’lɔid / t’lɔid / s’t’lɔid ‘dress’. The consonant under consideration can be tentatively designated as a soft medial-occlusive spirant. Most likely, its appearance represents the third stage of mitigation in the considered alternation according to the scheme k > k’ > t’ > s’t’.

The observations presented in the article, based on the analysis of actual field material, can be the beginning of further study of the variability of the Mennonite language in Siberia.

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