Universal 1792: likelihood of N-deletion: N → Ø/ _V ⇒ _#V ⇒ _#C ⇒ _C
Original
Nasals are deleted preferentially before consonants word-medially than word-finally (first before consonants and then before vowels). Lastly, the intervocalic nasal may be lost.
Standardized
IF nasals are deleted word-finally preceding vowels, THEN they are deleted word-finally before consonants. IF nasals are deleted word-finally preceding consonants, THEN they are deleted word-medially before consonants.
Keywords
deletion, nasal, consonant, vowel
Domain
prosodic phonology
Type
implicational hierarchy
Status
diachronic
Quality
absolute
Basis
8 North Italian dialects: Bolognese, Cairese, Imoloese, Lughese, Ravennate, Riminese, Milanese, Bergamese; Rhaeto-Romance (Taveschan dialect); Latin
Foley (1975, 1977) makes a similar statement that nasals in syllable-final position are weaker than strong syllable-initial intervocalic nasals and are, therefore, preferentially deleted.
Foley (1975, 1977) makes a similar statement that nasals in syllable-final position are weaker than strong syllable-initial intervocalic nasals and are, therefore, preferentially deleted.