Indian Linguistics: 70:223-225

A NOTE ON SCHWA FRONTING IN HINDI *

SHAILENDRA MOHAN
Deccan College, Pune

1. INTRODUCTION
This paper attempts to revisit the analysis of Schwa Fronting (SF, <) in Standard Hindi
proposed by Pandey (1991). According to Pandey (1991) Schwa in Standard Hindi is fronted
before segment /h/, which may be followed by a consonant or a schwa as in examples
[k<hna:]. This paper revisits this phenomenon from a fresh set of data collected in Lucknow
in 2008 and comes to the conclusion that Schwa in Hindi gets fronted before as well as after /
h/ segment in Hindi. Segment / h/ is playing a significant role in phonological changes in
Hindi. It is also inducing vowel quality changes in Standard Hindi.

2. DATA COLLECTION
The data for this description were elicited from 10 speakers in Lucknow (5 males and 5
females) aged between 30-55 years. They were living in Lucknow from birth and use the Hindi
spoken in Lucknow in their daily life. A total of 60 words with vowel // and segment /h/ in
different environments were presented to these speakers in a fixed order and were asked to
pronounce the words twice. The responses were tape-recorded. These words include Pandey
(1991) examples with the vowel // in different environments with segment / h/ in Hindi.

3. ANALYSIS
(1) Schwa in Standard Hindi is fronted before / h/ which may be followed by a consonant as
shown in the examples below:
Words Gloss
[k < hna:] to say
[p < hna:] to wear
[g < hra:] deep
[p < hla:] first
[c < hka:] to scream
[t < hsil] block office
[k < hwa:na:] to ask someone to say
[m < hka:] to smell
[s < h] to bear
[s < hka:ri:] co-operative

It has also been observed that in Hindi pronunciation of Panjabi and some other people
from Haryana and Himachal region /+h / is turned into / +h /:
[khna:] becomes [khna:]
[shna:] becomes [shna:] ( H.C. Patyal, p.c.)
224 SHAILENDRA MOHAN

(2) Schwa also gets fronted before and after /h/ segment as shown in the following examples:
Pandey (1991) Present Study Gloss
[b <h n] [b <h <n] sister
[p <h r] [p <h <r] part of a day
[n <h r] [n <h <r] canal
[c <h k] [c<h<k] to scream
[c <h l][p <h l] [c <h <l][p <h <l] cheerful movement
Some of the other examples have been provided here:
[m <h <l] palace
[z <h <r] poison
[g <h <n] serious
[p <h <l] initiation
[l <h <r] waves
[m <h <k] smell
(3) It was also observed that Schwa is fronted in numerals also.:
Pandey (1991) Present Study Gloss
[gya:rh] [gya:r<h] eleven
[ba:rh] [ba:r<h] twelve
[cdh] [cdh] fourteen
[te:rh] [te:rh] thirteen
[bhttr] [bhttr] seventy-two

6 speakers used [gya:r<h] and [ba:r<h], 2 speakers used non- fronted example [gya:rh] and
[ba:rh] and 2 speakers used the variant [gya:ra:] and [ba:ra:] , i.e. the deletion of the final /h /
with schwa lowered and lengthened /a: /. While words like [cdh], [te:rh] and [bhttr]
were pronounced with non-fronted Schwa.

(4) Schwa fronting is not applicable before a consonant other than segment/ h/.:
Words Gloss
[kmra:] room
[hm] we
[kl] tomorrow
[pkna:] to be cooked
[pkR] to catch
[pTkna:] to dash
[ptta:] leaf

(5) Schwa fronting is also not applicable if the segment / h / is followed by a vowel other than
/ /. :
Words Gloss
[phila:]~[p <hla:] first
[mhila:] lady
[sheli:] female friend
[rho:] stay(imp)
 A Note on Schwa Fronting in Hindi 225

(6) It was also observed that stressed and unstressed / / both show the fronting.:
Pandey (1991) Present Study Gloss
[m <h ttw] [m <h < ttw] importance
[T <h lna:] [T <h < lna:] to stroll
[m <h tta:] [m <h < tta:] importance

4. VOWEL QUALITY CHANGE

It was also observed that segment / h / is inducing vowel quality change in Standard Hindi, i.e.
lowering of vowel in the following examples.
bhut [bht] very much
phc [phc] to reach

6 speakers pronounced [bht] and [phc] while others [bhut] [phc]. It seems that / h / is
inducing change in Hindi. There are two types of changes in the above words: in the example
[bht] post / -h/ segment vowel is lowering, and in the example [phc] there is a backing
and rounding of the pre /-h/ schwa. The latter change can also be said to involve vowel
copying. The pre /-h/ vowel copies the post /-h/ vowel in quality (but not nasality)
(Pramod Pandey, p.c.).

5. CONCLUSION
From the above observation it seems that segment /h/ in Hindi is inducing vowel change
especially // ( Schwa). It is also influencing vowel quality changes. Pandeys (1991) analysis
of Schwa Fronting in Hindi needs revision in the light of above observations.

COLOPHON
*
I would like to thank Prof. Pramod Pandey for comments and suggestions on the earlier draft of this
paper. I also thank Dr. H.C. Patyal for useful comments.

REFERENCES

MOHAN, S. 2005. Issues in Hindi Linguistics. Indian Journal of Language and Literature
1:2. 83-85.
OHALA, M. 1983. Aspects of Hindi Phonology. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.
PANDEY, P.K.S. 1989. Word Accentuation in Hindi. Lingua 77. 37-73.
_______.1990. Hindi Schwa Deletion. Lingua 82.277-311.
_______.1991. Schwa Fronting in Hindi. Studies in the Linguistic Science 21.1:147-159.