Некаторыя фанетычныя асаблівасці беларускага гутарковага маўлення (ненаціскны вакалізм)
Some phonetic features of Belarusian colloquial language (unstressed vowels)

Summary/Abstract: In this article we are concerned with the current state of Belarusian colloquial language, whereby we draw special attention to the concepts of (language) “norm” and (language) “usage”. In Belarusian linguistics, the differences between the latter two concepts often becomes blurred which usually happens due to extralinguistic reasons. The object of the analysis is the spontaneous, casual language of linguists (university teachers and researchers) who use Belarusian language in everyday communication. Dialogues on different topics were recorded on tape and later transcribed. A specific group of words (няма, няхай, не, мяне, цябе, цяпер), being among the two hundred most frequent words of B elarusian, has been chosen as empirical basis for the observation of unstressed vocalism. The analysis of the usage of these words in the spontaneous casual speech of linguists allows to conclude that, along with я-forms, there equally occur i-forms. We assume that both forms form the language “usage” of spontaneous Belarusian. The [p]revalence of i-forms in these words is due to the articulatory specifics of the sound ’a after soft consonants in unstressed position and the presence of such forms in Belarusian dialects.

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