Tracking Phonological Varieties in the Modern Kazakh Language
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47526/3107-3085.427Keywords:
Kazakh language, phonological variability, dialectal differentiation, acoustic analysis, auditory analysis, labial harmony, sociophonetics.Abstract
The phonological diversity and dialectal heterogeneity that define contemporary Kazakh speech across various geographical locations are thoroughly examined in this study work. The research fills a major vacuum in modern Kazakh linguistics, where the dynamic changes brought about by contemporary sociolinguistic elements are frequently not captured by classic dialectological descriptions from the mid-20th century. The researchers analysed the speech patterns of 11 male informants divided into two age groups: 18–25 years and 50–60 years, using a multimodal technique that combines auditory-perceptual analysis with instrumental acoustic measurements via the Praat program. Key cities in Kazakhstan's northern (Pavlodar, Semey, Karaganda, Astana) and southern (Turkestan, Taldykorgan, Kyzylorda, Taraz) regions are represented by these players. In order to objectively record regional phonetic indicators, or «shibboleths», the study's main focus is on the investigation of vowel formants (F1 and F2) and fundamental frequency (F0). The substantial change in labial harmony is one of the study's main conclusions. This phonological characteristic is almost nonexistent in the spontaneous speech of the younger group (18–25 years old), indicating a slow deterioration of classical harmonic oppositions, while it is reasonably constant among the elder generation (50–60 years old). Additionally, compared to their Southern counterparts, Northern speakers - especially those in the older demographic - tend to have higher fundamental frequencies and a more fronted articulation of vowels, according to acoustic evidence.
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