%0 Journal Article
%T Morpheme-Based Rendaku as a Rhythmic Stabilizer in Eastern Old Japanese Poetry
%A KUPCHIK
%A John
%J Acta Linguistica Asiatica
%D 2012
%I 
%X This paper explores the functions of morpheme-based rendaku, or ¡°sequential voicing¡±, in Eastern Old Japanese poetry, with a focus on its function of maintaining rhythmic stability in poetic verse. It is argued that this function is implemented to avoid a hypermetrical line when no adjacent vowels exist as candidates for synchronic elision. Furthermore, a comparison with synchronic vowel elision is conducted. Based on the results, it is argued that morpheme-based rendaku is preferred to synchronic vowel elision when both are available options for maintaining the rhythmic stability of a line. Linguistic constraints blocking morpheme-based rendaku are also discussed to explain hypermetrical examples with potential, yet unrealized, morpheme-based rendaku.
%K phonology
%K phonetics
%K Old Japanese
%K rendaku
%K poetry
%U http://revije.ff.uni-lj.si/ala/article/view/66/68