Phonetic
Regularity in Welsh Poetry
Toby D. Griffen
Description
Traditional
Welsh poetry has been
marked by patterns of
correspondences among sounds in alliterations and rhyme. Ostensibly,
these correspondences have depended upon precise phonetic matches
following prescribed patterns. However, throughout the history of Welsh
literature, there have been apparent lapses and exceptions to this
phonetic regularity. This work proposes that these apparent phonetic
irregularities in the history of Welsh literature derive not from the
actual acoustic phonetic perceptions of the poets and reciters, but
rather from the manner in which we have described the sounds themselves
as letters or as phonetic segments. This work is of importance not only
to Welsh and Celtic Studies in general, but also to phonetics,
linguistics, and poetics.
Table of Contents
Commendatory Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Rules of Cynghanedd
Chapter 2: The Phonetics
Chapter 3: Prosodic Alliterations
Chapter 4: Generic Rhyme and
Alliteration
Chapter 5: Epenthesis and Mesotomy
Chapter 6: Nonsyllabics
Chapter 7: The “Exceptions”
Chapter 8: The Accent Rule of
Cynghanedd
Chapter 9: Implications for
Poetry and Phonology
Bibliography
Index
ISBN 0-7734-6377-1
Published by:
Edwin
Mellen Press (Lampeter, Wales)
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