Investigating some Darabi dialect phonological processes Vali Rezaei

This paper is the description and analysis of some of the best Darabi dialect phonological processes on the bases of autosegmental phonology. The data was collected from some indigenous informants and written texts whose reliability had been already proved for the researcher. This study is a descriptive and analytic one. Moreover, it is a cross-sectional study. In this study, the phonological processes such as assimilation and dissimilation, omission, weakening, metathesis, and conversion of /r/ consonant to /l/ consonant were investigated through quantitative data analysis. The investigation of these phonological processes showed that some of the contrasts are eliminated after the vowels or at the coda of the words. However, the consonant contrasts are retained at the onset of the words. In the assimilation of /t/ and /s/ which is a complete one, /t/ consonant is assimilated with its prior consonant. In dissimilated /n/ with that of /s/ and /z/, the /n/ consonant changes from alveolar to /m/. In the process of metathesis, consonant movement happens. For the cases of /b/ and /w/; /b/ consonant changes to voiced fricative /v/ before long vowels. Easiness in production is considered while omitting the final consonants.