英语schwa的动态解读

A Dynamic Account of Schwa in English

schwa是英语复现率最高的完全弱化元音,其产生的原因多种多样。考察英语节奏驱动下的schwa变化,即在重读音节与轻读音节的交替中,轻读音节表层上不仅生成大量schwa,而且指派饱满元音,但深层上潜藏着变异,遇到合适时机就会跨入schwa行列。饱满元音一旦缺失重音,势必成为一个从饱满到schwa甚而脱落的非确定性音位,即音变连续体。schwa的动态变化彰显出英语音节强者更强、弱者更弱的节奏属性以及重音指派与元音实现之间的和谐共处关系。

Schwa in English emerges as a fully reduced vowel occurring most frequently due to different causes. This paper focuses on the production of schwa driven by English rhythm, namely in the alternation of stressed and unstressed syllables, the latter surfaces as a great number of schwa, and may bear full vowels as well, but potentially underlies the change, ready to step themselves into the schwa rank at due time. It is therefore argued that full vowels, if unstressed, must turn to phonemes as a continuum from the full to schwa or even to zero. This study proves that the dynamic change of schwa demonstrates the rhythmic property of the stronger of stressed syllables and the weaker of the unstressed as well as the harmonious coexistence between stress assignment and vowel realization in English.