An empirical research on the prosodic properties of a word-final moraic consonant in Japanese mimetics

本研究试图通过实验的方法来揭示日语拟态语中词尾moraic obstruent（词尾后缀/Q/）的韵律特征。我进行了两种语音实验，以阐明在含有后缀/Q/的拟声词和不含/Q/的拟声词根中观察到的音高模式的特征。实验的结果是，这两种类型的模仿形式表现出非常相似的音高模式。该结果揭示了这两种模拟形式基本上彼此等同。词尾后缀/Q/在区分这两种拟态形式方面没有作用。本文的研究结果为理论分析提供了有力的支持。在该理论分析中，词尾后缀/Q/作为一个无标记的缺省，产生了典型的模仿韵律，重音音步位于词尾位置。

The present research project attempts to shed light on the prosodic properties of a word-final moraic obstruent (word-final suffix /Q/) in Japanese mimetics by means of experimental methods. I conducted two kinds of phonetic experiments in order to elucidate characteristics of the pitch patterns observed both in mimetic words containing the suffix /Q/ and in bare mimetic roots containing no /Q/. The result of the experiments was that these two types of mimetic forms exhibit quite similar pitch patterns. This result is revealing in that these two mimetic forms are substantially equivalent to each other. The word-final suffix /Q/ plays no role in making a lexical distinction between the two types of mimetic forms. This inquiry provides strong support for a theoretical analysis in which the word-final suffix /Q/ serves as an unmarked default that produces the typical mimetic prosody, with an accented foot in word-final position.