Re: [tied] Backgrounding?

In plain English, "to background" means "to make less prominent (phonologically)". For example, all weakenings and reductions (as when "of" becomes [@v] or [@]) are backgrounding processes. This terminology refers to the "background and figure" model in the psychology of perception.

Piotr

----- Original Message -----
From: Glen Gordon

To: cybalist@egroups.com

Sent: Monday, December 18, 2000 2:16 AM

Subject: Re: [tied] Backgrounding?

Hmm. I presume that "backgrounding" is a phonological constraint on "little" words, words that are less vital to a sentence than nouns or verbs (like pre/post-positions, all affixes, articles, pronouns, demonstrative, etc). Y'know, teensy words and affixes used over and over again, which don't carry much or any meaning just on their own. These words are "prototypically backgrounded" since these reusable morphemes need to be simple enough in order to make speech as effortless as possible while still maintaining understandability. Imagine having to pronounce a prefix like *kp?- over and over again. Tiring isn't it? Not as tiring as a sleak prefix like *k-.