Universal #1090

Legacy number: 1090

 Number  1086
 Original  We have not found a single instance in which a nasalized low vowel is lower than the corresponding oral vowel, whereas the following instances indicate clearly that nasalization has a raising effect on low vowels.
 Standardized  IF a low vowel in nasalized, THEN it is raised.
 Keywords  vowel, nasalization
 Domain  phonology
 Type  implication
 Status  unclear whether diachronic and/or achronic
 Quality  absolute
 Basis  languages in Bhat 1975
 Source  Bhat 1975: 27

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Discussion
Counterexamples
Bhat (1975: 30ff.) explains away the counterexamples through other conditioning factors that co-occur with nasalization that cause lowering, such as closed syllables, in which nasalization is not strong enough to block.
Notes
1. Other linguists (Pope 1966, Lightner 1970, Posner 1971, Chen 1973c, Ohala 1974) have argued the opposite, i.e. the general tendency in language is for the nasalized vowels to move towards a lower tongue height. (cf. #1288)2. Bhat (1975: 27) clarifies his statement by arguing the effect of nasalization (or a neighboring nasal) on a vowel is either the neutralization of the height distinction or the raising of the vowel height.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. Other linguists (Pope 1966, Lightner 1970, Posner 1971, Chen 1973c, Ohala 1974) have argued the opposite, i.e. the general tendency in language is for the nasalized vowels to move towards a lower tongue height. (cf. <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1288"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">)

2. Bhat 1975: 27 clarifies his statement by arguing the effect of nasalization (or a neighboring nasal) on a vowel is either the neutralization of the height distinction or the raising of the vowel height.