Chapter 5. New parameters for the sociophonetic indexes 147
In formal terms, using a rule-based framework, the gorgia has the following shape:
(2) C [−cont] → [+cont] / V (#) _ (L,G) V
In an autosegmental representation, its shape is:
(3) [−cont] → [+cont]
| |
V C V C
| | | |
x x x x
| | | |
N O N O
5.2 De-affrication of palatal affricates
A similar consonant weakening, i.e. the de-affrication of palatal affricates (/tʃ,
dʒ/ > [ʃ, ʒ]) normally taking place in Tuscany can be considered as a special case
of gorgia, inasmuch as it is a weakening process occurring in the same postvocalic
context, within the word domain as well as in the phrase domain (Marotta 1995,
2008). Some examples are given in (4):
(4) SI amici ‘friends’ [aˈmiːtʃi], Tsc [aˈmiːʃi]; SI bicicletta ‘bike’ [bitʃiˈkletːa], Tsc
[biʃiˈhlet:a]; SI agile ‘agile’ [ˈaːdʒile], Tsc [ˈaːʒile]; SI la ciabatta ‘the slipper’ [la
tʃaˈbatːa], Tsc [la ʃaˈβatːa], la giacca ‘the jacket’ [la ˈdʒakːa], Tsc [la ˈʒakːa].
In autosegmental terms, the process shows the following shape:
(5) C [[+cor [−front] → C / V (#) _ (L,G) V
/ \ |
[−cont] [+cont] [+cont]
\ / |
V C V C
| | | |
N O N O
5.3 Apocope
Another typical process of the Tuscan dialects as well as of the Tuscan pronuncia-
tion of Italian is apocope, i.e. the deletion of the unstressed final vowel in context
of hiatus, i.e. in postvocalic position (Marotta 1995). The deleted vowel is nor-
mally the high front vowel /i/, which carries an important morpho-phonological