Universal #1605
Legacy number: 1605
| Number | 1601 |
| Original | Nasal harmony hierarchy: Vowels > Semivowels > Liquids > Fricatives > Obstruent Stops. This hierarchy reflects the relative compatibility of [+nasal] (i.e. nasality) with different groups of segments, such that compatibility decreases moving from left to right. |
| Standardized | IF the feature [nasal] is compatible with obstruent stops, THEN it is also compatible with fricatives; IF the feature [nasal] is compatible with fricatives, THEN it is also compatible with liquids; IF the feature [nasal] is compatible with liquids, THEN it is also compatible with semivowels; IF the feature [nasal] is compatible with semivowels, THEN it is also compatible with vowels. |
| Formula | Vowels > Semivowels > Liquids > Fricatives > Obstruent Stops |
| Keywords | nasal harmony, hierarchy |
| Domain | phonology |
| Type | implicational hierarchy |
| Status | achronic |
| Quality | absolute |
| Basis | more than 75 languages sample (clearly presented in Walker 1998) |
| Source | Schourup 1972, Pulleyblank 1989, Piggott 1992, Cohn 1993a, Cohn 1993b, Padgett 1995, and Walker 1995, Walker 1998 as summarized in Walker & Pullum 1999 |
Discussion
Counterexamples
Southern and Northern Barasano, Cubeo, and Desano (Tucanoan); Guaraní (Tupi) (Piggott 1992).
Notes
1. This implicational hierarchy corresponds to the most frequent type of nasal harmony, in which the harmonic element, the feature [nasal], is dominated by the Soft Palate node (Piggott 1992: 61-62).2. Languages such as Southern Barasano (see #1606) appear to undergo another type of nasal harmony, in which the harmonic element, the feature [nasal], is dominated by the Spontaneous Voicing node, which is an alternative label for the feature [sonorant] (Piggott 1992: 48).3. See also ##1610, 1612, 1613.
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2. Languages such as Southern Barasano (see <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1606"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">) appear to undergo another type of nasal harmony, in which the harmonic element, the feature [nasal], is dominated by the Spontaneous Voicing node, which is an alternative label for the feature [sonorant] (Piggott 1992: 48).
3. See also <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1610"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">, <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1612"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">, <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1613"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">.