Vowel Height Parameter: The development of some or all of the distinctive nasal processes occur preferentially in the context of low vowels before spreading to mid and then finally high vowels.
Standardized
IF nasalization and nasal deletion occur in the context of high vowels, THEN it will have already occurred in the context of mid vowels. IF nasalization and nasal deletion occur in the context of mid vowels, THEN it will have already occurred in the context of low vowels.
1. This height parameter is stated more specifically for the process of nasalization only in #1288.2. There is disagreement as to which parts of the process of distinctive nasalization are affected by the Vowel Height Parameter. Lightner and Ruhlen indicate that vowel height is relevant only to the spread of phonologized vowel nasalization before nasals. Schourup and Chen allow vowel height as a unitary process. Foley emphasizes vowel deletion. Hajek treats vowel nasalization and nasal deletion as two distinct processes (hence a separate universal from #1288).
1. This height parameter is stated more specifically for the process of nasalization only in #1288.2. There is disagreement as to which parts of the process of distinctive nasalization are affected by the Vowel Height Parameter. Lightner and Ruhlen indicate that vowel height is relevant only to the spread of phonologized vowel nasalization before nasals. Schourup and Chen allow vowel height as a unitary process. Foley emphasizes vowel deletion. Hajek treats vowel nasalization and nasal deletion as two distinct processes (hence a separate universal from #1288).