View source for Gheada

[[File:Gheda idioma gallego.png|thumb|390px|{{legend|#6B8E23|Gheada}} {{legend|#1034A6|No gheada}}]]
'''Gheada''' ({{IPA|gl|ħeˈaðɐ|IPA}}) is a term in [[Galician language|Galician]] to describe the [[debuccalisation]] of the [[voiced velar stop]] {{IPAslink|ɡ}} to a, usually voiceless, back fricative, most often a [[voiceless pharyngeal fricative]] {{IPAblink|ħ}}.

Although it is found throughout [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]], its use is declining in [[Lugo (province)|Lugo]] and eastern [[Ourense (province)|Ourense]], and it is rarely encountered in education or broadcasting. While it is neither considered incorrect nor stigmatised, it is generally considered appropriate only for familiar rather than formal domains.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Thomas|2007|p=61}}</ref>

Occasionally, the sound is articulated as a [[voiceless velar fricative]] {{IPAblink|x}}, as in [[Castilian Spanish|Castilian]] ''[[jamón]]''.

==Orthography==
The pronunciation is sometimes indicated by the [[digraph (orthography)|digraph]] ''[[gh (digraph)|gh]]'':
* ''gato'' ({{IPA|gl|ˈɡatʊ|IPA}}; "cat") > {{lang|gl|'''gh'''ato}} {{IPA|gl|ˈħatʊ|}}
* ''pago'' ({{IPA|gl|ˈpaɣʊ|IPA}}; "payment") > {{lang|gl|pa'''gh'''o}} {{IPA|gl|ˈpaħʊ|}}

== Phonetic realizations ==
[[Pharyngeal consonant|Pharyngeal]] realizations of the ''gheada'' are the most common, but there's considerable variation. Speakers from inland villages tend to prefer [[Uvular consonant|uvular]], pharyngeal, or [[Glottal consonant|glottal fricatives]], which are often [[voiced]] between vowels. In contrast, speakers from coastal villages prefer [[voiceless velar fricative|velar]], pharyngeal, or occasional uvular fricatives, which are always voiceless.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Labraña-Barrero|van Oosterzee|2003|p=948}}</ref>

== Possible systems ==
There are three different systems of ''gheada''. In the most widespread one, {{IPA|/g/}} is pronounced as a voiceless fricative in any position. For example:

{{Blockquote|{{lang|gl|gato}} {{IPA|[hato]}} 'cat' — {{lang|gl|un gato}} {{IPA|[uŋhato]}} 'a cat' — {{lang|gl|o gato}} {{IPA|[ohato]}} 'the cat' — {{lang|gl|domingo}} {{IPA|[domiŋho]}} 'Sunday' }}

This system is found in the major cities of Galicia: [[Santiago de Compostela|Santiago]], [[Pontevedra]], and [[A Coruña]], as well as in the eastern part of the [[Province of A Coruña]].<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Thomas|2007|pp=61–62}}</ref>

Another system has both {{IPA|[g]}} and voiceless fricative allophones:

{{Blockquote|{{lang|gl|gato}} {{IPA|[hato]}} 'cat' — {{lang|gl|un gato}} {{IPA|[uŋhato]}} 'a cat' — {{lang|gl|o gato}} {{IPA|[ohato]}} 'the cat' — {{lang|gl|domingo}} {{IPA|[domiŋgo]}} 'Sunday' }}

In this system, found in the western parts of [[Province of Ourense|Ourense]] and [[Province of Lugo|Lugo]], northern areas of [[Province of Pontevedra|Pontevedra]], and south-eastern areas of [[Province of A Coruña|A Coruña]], {{IPA|[g]}} is only found after a nasal consonant in the middle of words. Speakers often have trouble recognizing {{IPA|[g]}} and {{IPA|[h]}} as allophones of the same phoneme.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Thomas|2007|p=62}}</ref>

A third system has merged {{IPA|-/ng/-}} into {{IPA|-/nk/-}}, eliminating the {{IPA|[g]}} allophone completely:

{{Blockquote|{{lang|gl|gato}} {{IPA|[hato]}} 'cat' — {{lang|gl|un gato}} {{IPA|[uŋhato]}} 'a cat' — {{lang|gl|o gato}} {{IPA|[ohato]}} 'the cat' — {{lang|gl|domingo}} {{IPA|[domiŋko]}} 'Sunday' }}

This system is found in the western parts of Galicia, in [[Fisterra]] and the Ría de Muros.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Thomas|2007|p=62}}</ref>
 
==See also==
*[[Phonological history of Spanish coronal fricatives]]
*[[Lenition]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite conference 
|url=https://www.internationalphoneticassociation.org/icphs-proceedings/ICPhS2003/papers/p15_0945.pdf 
|title=An Acoustic Approach to Galician Gheada 
|last1=Labraña-Barrero 
|first1=Sabela 
|last2=van Oosterzee 
|first2=Carlos
|date=2003 
|pages=945–948 
|location=Barcelona 
|conference=15th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences 
|isbn=1-876346-48-5
|publisher=Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona
|book-title=Proceedings of the 15th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences
|editor1-last=Solé
|editor1-first=M. J.
|editor2-last=Recasens
|editor2-first=D.
|editor3-last=Romero
|editor3-first=J.
}}
* {{cite conference 
|url=http://www.lingref.com/cpp/wss/3/paper1527.pdf 
|title=The Use of Gheada in Three Generations of Women from Carballo, A Coruña 
|last1=Thomas 
|first1=Juan Antonio 
|date=2007 
|publisher=Cascadilla Proceedings Project 
|pages=61–73 
|location=Somerville, MA 
|book-title=Selected Proceedings of the Third Workshop on Spanish Sociolinguistics
|editor1-last=Holmquist
|editor1-first=Jonathan
|isbn=978-1-57473-418-8
|editor2-last=Lorenzino
|editor2-first=Augusto
|editor3-last=Sayahi
|editor3-first=Lotfi
}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120123042109/http://www.galiciaespallada.com.ar/gheadaseseo.htm Map of gheada and seseo use in Galician-speaking areas]

[[Category:Galician language]]


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