The Problems of Phonetic Investigation
of the Kazakh Language
Saduakas Nurbol Abdillauly
PhD, assistant professor
Aktobe, Kazakhstan
Phonetic system of the Kazakh language has its own specific peculiarities
which concern the sound structures as the sound combinations of their interactions,
syngarmonism, syllables, intonation and so on. According to the origin the Kazakh
language and grammatical system belong to the Turkic-speaking group. The main
aim of the linguistic typology, the Kazakh language is one of the main kinds of
Turkic- agglutinative languages. It is mentioned in general linguistic works that the
Turkic languages are agglutinative and they have harmony of vowels. In the
agglutinative languages grammar is understood in adding endings in morphological
structures of the sentences and it becomes complicated, but the ending of the
sentence is not changed, if becomes the same.
In modern Kazakh there are 36 sounds and alphabet consists of 42 letters for
giving 11 vowels, 25 letters for giving consonants, 2 symbols (fixed and soft
symbols). 4 vowels are borrowed from the Russian language (е, э, ю, я). There are
9 specific sounds in alphabet which do not exist in Russian. These sounds differ
from their articulations, pronounced norms; most of them have only certain
positions. In the Kazakh literal language three kinds of syllables are differed (open
syllable, half-closed syllable and closed syllable).
By normal orthoepi if the words give labializations at the beginning of the
syllables in the quantity of the syllable-formings “ы” is pronounced as deeply
vowel instead of weak vowel in the following syllable (e.g.: о-рын - орун). The
presence of strong and weak vowels is characterized for Kazakh vocalism. Weak
vowels are characterized unstable and able to reductions. In Kazakh stress does not
concern the process of the reduction of syngarmo-vowels.
Information about the Kazakh language may be spoken in the works of
Russian scientific Turkologists as N.I. Ilminsky, P.M. Melioransky, V.V. Radlov
and so on. That is why scientific works of these scientists are very important in
Kazakh (Turkic) linguistics. Problems touched in scientific works of these
scientists of Kazakh linguistics are very important nowadays.
N.I. Ilminsky worked hard to reveal sound structure of Kazakh.
P.M. Melioransky gave a description to the Kazakh sound structures, phonetic
peculiarities and paid attention to their classifications.
V.V. Radlov gave acoustic-articulation characteristics to each sound of Kazakh. He
left many ideas about law of syngarmonism, distribution sounds of the Kazakh
(Turkic) language. Nowadays these scientists’ works are considered to be right
investigations.
So scientists are based upon the main learning of these scientists in this
sphere. A.M. Sherbak spoke about the work of V.V. Radlov of the problem’s
meaning: “In the work of V.V. Radlov there is given a deep description of
phonetics of the Turkic languages” [1.3]. These scientists in their scientific works
compare the peculiarities of Kazakh, especially phonetics, lexica and grammar
with other languages i.e. with the Russian language. At the beginning of last
decade Kazakh scientist A. Baitursinov gives a deep study to the Kazakh language
in these works. A. Baitursinov dared to solve the problem of Kazakh linguistics
and study deeply. With the development of science we realize the importance of
his scientific works, and about the correctness of his spoken ideas.
The dependence of realization of syngarmophenemes is proved in specific
syngarmonism and word position. So, the totality of syngarmosounds of
syngarmophenemes functioning in different positions in word structures was
determined, the principles of letter abbreviations of alphabet were worked out for
meaning the graphic sign linguostrong and linguoweak of opposed correlative pairs
of syngarmosounds of the Kazakh language. A. Baitursinov worked with scientific
problems: alphabet, spelling, lexica, grammar terminology and so on.
A profound study of phonetics began in 1930s. That time famous scientists
of Kazakh linguistics studied the problems of phonetics, they are K. Zhubanov, K.
Kemengerov, H. Dosmuhamedov and others. Scientific works of S. Kenesbayev
became important phenomena for Kazakh phonetics. Examining the syllable
structures of Kazakh language, S. Kenesbayev was the first to speak about the
existence of strong beginning and strong ending consonants in the material of
Kazakh language.
The main ideas, principles differed from syngarmonic theory of description
of sound system from other “accent-phoneme” theory and school, were made up
and described by Kazakh scientist A. Junisbekov. In general linguistics
syngarmonism and word stressing is a language unit with analogical function. Both
of them are the means of phonetic unit of words. By Junisbekov’s words, if word
stress unites the sounds in word in Russian syngarmonism will have phonetic
strength in the Kazakh language. In A. Junisbekov’s opinion “Turkic wordsegment phonology is phonology of syngarmonism”. [2.51]
That time S. Tatubayev analyzed the stress in compound words of Kazakh
language. Analysis of physical characters of words having wide vowels before
stages in 1st and 2nd syllables shows that the 2nd syllable is marked by the big length
in comparison with corresponding 1st syllables: thus, length of 2nd syllables
surpasses the length of the 1st syllables which is explained by the absence of
phonological necessity of stress. [3.90].
Syngarmonic theory worked by A. Junisbekov, includes the sounds in strong
positions. Continuation of syngarmonic theory in weak positions is analyzed in
scientific works of M. Jusupov. Historic-linguistic investigation of syngarmonism,
phonemograph of A. Baitursynov’s works was realized by the well-known
scientist, determined their role and their importance in Kazakh (Turkic) linguistics.
Owing the word stress in Russian we can distinguish the main variant of
vowel phoneme which keeps its quantitative determination against the unstressed
(reduction), so as in Kazakh owing to syngarmonism all the variants of phonemes
as well as vowels and consonants are equivalent, that is, we can say such kind of
phonetic advantages or another syngarmonic variant is principal. All the variants of
syngarmonism are functionally and phonetically equal in rights. [2.60] That’s
why, word-stress and syngarmonism fulfill the same function in a language.
Consequently, their “existence” is not justified in one language [2.62].
syngarmonism – half-functional phenomenon. In Kazakh (Turkic) languages it
fulfills three main functions – word formation, word-knowledge and worddistinguishing. These functions are components of syngarmonism in a whole and
syngarmophonology in particular. Three main functions of syngarmonism are
isolated from each other, don’t exist and function with the words function together.
By the syngarmonizm Kazakh words may oppose to the combination of the
following differentiated signs: hard softness, labial and non-labial. Constitutive or
word-knowledge role of syngarmonism is its main function. Syngarmonism
concerns the super segment i.e. non-measured phenomenon of the language [2.73].
M. Jusupov made alterations of syngarmonism. He made alterations of
syngarmonic theory in the following form: one consonant syngarmotype of the
Kazakh language in four syngarmovariants of syngarmotype [4]. System of
syngarmoconsonants of Kazakh is realized in strong positions in 66
syngarmosounds (by A. Sunisbekov’s investigation) and in weak positions in 39
syngarmosounds (by M. Jusupov’s investigation).
Syngarmoconsonants of Kazakh are realized in strong and weak positions
total of 205 syngarmosounds. [4.157].
Syngarmonism – is an obligatory element of phonetic figure of word
including vowels and consonants providing the right acoustic and semantic
perception of words. Breach of syngarmonism complicates the perception of word.
Each syllable is organized with the help of syngarmonic timbre, but in all syllables
of many-complicated word of same timbre. For the Kazakh language syngarmonic
timbres are obligatory, fulfilling the word-knowledge, word-building function.
Four syngarmonic timbres are distinguished: hard non-labial, hard labial,
soft non-labial, soft labial. By the presence of half-timbre in Kazakh each separate
word is always characterized only by one of them. [4.84]
In M. Jusupov’s investigations full character of Kazakh syngarmonism is
given. In theory of speech perception was put by I.A. Boduen de Kurten, L.V.
Sherb, N.S. Trubetsk, L.R. Zinder. And in turgology the 1st works of this approach
are the investigations of Kazakh scientist Zh.A. Abuov. Taken facts of Abuov let
us add existing ideas of mechanisms of phoneme identification of sound units in
Kazakh phonetics. For Kazakh who examined e.g. range between two-complicated
words is consequence of syngarmonism in accordance with which vowel of first
syllable prompts the right decision concerning the vowel of the 2 nd syllable [5]. As
a result of experiences in perception and in acoustic analysis syngarmonic
peculiarities of Russian speech of Kazakh people and Kazakh speech of Russianspeaking people were revealed representatives of four main regions of the republic
[7.5]. Results of investigations Zh. Abuov let us confirm that only syngarmonic
analysis objectively reflects inward regularities of Kazakh speech. [5.7]. It was
proved by phonetics scientist Zh. Nazbuyev that syngarmonic cause of pronounced
units in Kazakh lets us qualitatively-quantitatively determine and describe their
structure and system [6]. He paid a special attention to syngarmonic pronounced
segments in composition of Kazakh words and early adapted borrowings: vowel
segments at the beginning of words and segmented in any position.
Results of investigations are important for the development, and new
systems of criteria of delimitation of assimilated phenomenon of the Kazakh
language from syngarmonic are offered, which lets us insert certain phonological
corrective ness in composition and system of phonetic units in scientific and
educational school grammars [6.4]. In U. Shulenbaev’s works system of labial
accord of the Kazakh language is considered. Comparative, qualitative and
quantitative characters of palatalized and labial analyses showed that they have the
same quantitative characters and they keep labial articulation in pronounced plan
of labial vowels. As a result of analysis, in Kazakh palatalized and labial
syngarmonism have the dame phonetic and phonological status [7]. In Kazakh
linguistics the problems and perspectives of contrast phonetics-phonological
investigations are connected with the name of Kazakh scientist M.K. Isaev.
Nowadays, Kazakh linguistics is many-sided part of science.
Improvement and achievement of the Kazakh language are correlated with
world linguistics.
At the present the Kazakh language is investigated in many approaches:
sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, ethno linguistics, contrast lingo-cultural,
genitive linguistics and so on. Last time in investigation of phonetic structures of
the Kazakh language began to use the experimental laboratory, statistic, as well as
other research methods of modern linguistics. If Kazakh phonetics was studied by
traditional methods at the beginning, it would be studied by experimental –
laboratory conditions later on. At the beginning sound structure of Kazakh was
studied with the help of accent-phoneme theory. Widely used accent-phoneme
theory is able logically to explain the nature of sound system of the Indo-European
languages, description of sound system nature of the Turkic (Kazakh) language
may be realized only with the position of syngarmonism theory. During many
years in Turkology description of nature of sound system accent-phoneme theory is
widely used, which are not able to explain the regularities of function and
development of the given sound system.
Last years in the history of investigations of Kazakh phonetics may be called
the period of theoretical-syngarmonic analysis when the establishment and
description of sound composition of the language are accomplished only in the use
of the law of syngarmonism. Nowadays, many investigators consider that
syngarmonism is not merely phonetic fact of the Kazakh language, but
fundamental phenomenon on the basis of which all oral, syllable and sound
realization of Kazakh (Turkic) speech are accomplished by syngarmonism, which
is phenomenon excepting the presence of word-stress, determines the intentional
specifics of the Kazakh language. Syngarmonism with its segmenting function in
combination with rhythmical stress lies on the basis of kazakh intonation. At the
beginnings
of
syngarmonism
study
in
Kazakh
linguistics
study
of
syngarmophonology finds its own reflection in Baitursinov’s works, but then A.
Junisbekov, M. Jusupov, A. Abuov, Zh. Nazbiev and others study the theoretical
problem of syngarmonism is determined as the basis of constructions of alphabet
and elaborations of principals of spelling, teaching of sound system and literature
pronunciation [4.163].
That’s why we can say that Turkic (Kazakh) oral-segment phonology is the
phonology of syngarmonism. So, investigation of syngarmonism as dominant
super segment signs of the Turkic (Kazakh) languages has a great linguistic and
systematic meaning. That’s why scientific description of sound system of the
language and must be based on the main super segment sign of the investigated
language.
Scientific achievement according to the theory of syngarmophonology gives
an opportunity to investigate in a new approach of sound system of the Kazakh
(Turkic) language.
Nowadays, we can consider the theory of syngarmonism of the Kazakh
language worked out enough and investigators have excellent ideas about
syngarmonism.
Literatures:
1. Sherbak A.M. Сравнительная фонетика тюркских языков (Sravnitelnaya
phonetica turkskih yazikov) – Leningrad: Nauka, 1970-204 p.
2. Sumisbekova A. Singarmonism v kazakhskom yazyke. – Almaty: Nauka, 198078 p.
3. Tatubayev S. Tainy zvuka – Almaty: Zhalyn, 1978-152 p.
4. Jusupov M. Phonemographia A. Baytursynova, i phonologia singarmonisma –
Tashkent: Uzbekistan, 1995-176 p.
5. Abuov Zh. Perspektivnaya phonetica – Almaty: Gylym, 1999-225 p.
6. Nazbiec Zh. Syngarmonicheskie segmenti v kazakhskom yazyke. ADD –
Almaty, 1998-58 p.
7. Shulenbayeva U.R. Labialny singarmonism v kazakhskom yazyke. AKD –
Almaty, 1994-24 p.
Resume
Phonological Peculiarities of the Kazakh Language
Information about the author
First name:
Nurbol
Surname:
Saduakas Abdillauly
Scientific title:
PhD, assistant professor
Theme:
The problems of phonetic investigation of the Kazakh language.
Address:
34, Aliya Moldagulova Street.
Aktobe State Pedagogical Institute,
Chair of the Kazakh Language.
03000 Aktobe
The Republic of Kazakhstan
Home phone:
+7 (7132) 51 40 65