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Universal 1700:

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 1700:

Original
The Head Law:
A syllable head is the more preferred: (a) the closer the number of speech sounds in the head is to one, (b) the greater the Consonantal Strength value of its onset, and (c) the more sharply the Consonantal Strength drops from the onset toward the Consonantal Strength of the following syllable nucleus.
Standardized
The Head Law:
A syllable head is the more preferred: (a) the closer the number of speech sounds in the head is to one, (b) the greater the Consonantal Strength value of its onset, and (c) the more sharply the Consonantal Strength drops from the onset toward the Consonantal Strength of the following syllable nucleus.
Keywords
syllable, head, nucleus, consonant, strength, sonority
Domain
phonology
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
statistical
Basis
languages mentioned in Vennemann 1988, with special reference to German, Germanic, Italian, and Latin
Source
Vennemann 1988: 13f.
Counterexamples

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP

    1. Vennemann’s PREFERENCE LAWS (1988: 2-3):Diachronic Maxim:Linguistic change on a given parameter does not affect a language structure as long as there exist structures in the language system that are less preferred in terms of the relevant preference law.Synchronic Maxim:A language system will in general not contain a structure on a given parameter without containing those structures constructible with the means of the system that are more preferred in terms of the relevant preference law.2. Head = part of syllable basis which precedes the nucleus

    1. May 2020

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