Universal #1709

Legacy number: 1709

 Number  1704
 Original  It follows from the Head Law (<a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1705"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">) that a syllable will be the more preferred, the greater the Consonantal Strength of its onset is.
 Standardized  A syllable will be the more preferred, the greater the Consonantal Strength of its onset is.
(Corrollary of the Head Law (<a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1705"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">))
 Keywords  syllable, coda, nucleus, consonant, strength
 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: 12

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Discussion
Notes
1. For syllables in contact this also follows from the Contact Law (#1714).2. 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.3. Head = part of syllable basis which precedes the nucleus
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. For syllables in contact this also follows from the Contact Law (<a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1714"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">).

2. Vennemann's PREFERENCE LAWS (Vennemann 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.

3. Head = part of syllable basis which precedes the nucleus