Once Again on the Quantity of Elements i, u in Mixed Diphthongs: Do They Really Not Lengthen in the Dialect Area Closest to the Standard Language?

Abstract

The article analyses the quantity of the elements of mixed diphthongs i and u in the northwestern part of the Western Aukštaitian subdialect of Kaunas, encompassing the local dialects of Jurbarkas, Šakiai, and Vilkaviškis. The phonological and prosodic structure of these regional dialects is most commonly used as a basis when codifying the norms of standard pronunciation. There is still ongoing debate about the established pronunciation of the acute syllables of this type in the standard language (whether they are short or semi-long), so it is essential to identify their prosodic features in those local dialects that have traditionally been considered an area where the elements i and u do not lengthen and which stands out from the rest of the Lithuanian language system.

Based on the findings of studies conducted using experimental phonetic methods and evaluated with the statistical Student’s t-test, it can be concluded that in the northern part of the Kaunas subdialect, specifically the Jurbarkas area and partly the surroundings of Šakiai, the elements i and u in both acute and circumflex mixed diphthongs should be considered semi-long. Moreover, the lengthening of acute elements becomes more pronounced as we move northward within the described area. The identified prosodic patterns of the Kaunas subdialect should undoubtedly be taken into account when establishing standard pronunciation variants.