- Erkech dialect
The Erkech dialect is a Bulgarian dialect, which is part of the Balkan group of the Eastern Bulgarian dialects. It originates from two villages in the eastern parts of the
Balkan Mountains , Kozichino (formerly Erkech) nearPomorie and Golitsa south ofVarna . As a result of the mass population movements that affected eastern Bulgaria during the 19th and the beginning of the20th century , speakers of the dialect have established numerous colonies in the regions ofProvadia ,Varna ,Novi Pazar ,Balchik ,Silistra andPomorie , thus significantly expanding the range of the dialect. The most significant feature of the dialect, as in allBalkan dialects , is the pronunciation of Old Church Slavonic Unicode|ѣ (yat) as IPA|ʲa or IPA|ɛ, depending on the character of the following syllable.Phonological and morphological characteristics
Due to the relative isolation of the two villages in the past, the Erkech dialect has a number of idiosyncratic features that separate it from the other
Balkan dialects :
* long vowels under stress, i.e. stressed i is pronounced as IPA|iː ("дубиитък" vs. formal "добитък") and stressed o is pronounced as IPA|ɔː ("коон" vs. formal "кон")
* Pronunciation of Old Church Slavonic Unicode |ѫ (yus) and ъ as long broad е (IPA|æ) in a stressed syllable and as a slightly reduced a in an unstressed syllable - "зIPA|æːп" vs. formal "зъп", "даждIPA|æː" vs. formal "дъждът". TheTeteven dialect has a similar feature, although without long vowels
* Lack of consonant f which is replaced in all positions by IPA|x - "кухар" vs. formal "куфар" (suitcase), "хурна" vs. formal "фурна" (oven)Most of the other phonological and morphological characteristics of the Erkech dialect are similar to the general features typical for all
Balkan dialects , cf. article for details.ources
Стойков, Стойко: Българска диалектология, Акад. изд. "Проф. Марин Дринов", 2006 [http://www.promacedonia.org/jchorb/st/st_2_b_izt_2.htm#erkechki]
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