Universal #847
Legacy number: 847
| Number | 844 |
| Original | A similar statement (cf. <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=846"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">) for initial clusters holds in almost all cases (that is, the existence of at least one cluster consisting of a nasal (voiced or unvoiced) followed by a heterogenic obstruent implies the existence of at least one cluster consisting of a nasal (voiced or unvoiced) followed by a homorganic obstruent. |
| Standardized | In initial clusters, IF there is at least one cluster consisting of a nasal (voiced or unvoiced) followed by a heterogenic obstruent, THEN there is at least one cluster consisting of a nasal (voiced or unvoiced) followed by a homorganic obstruent. |
| Keywords | consonant cluster, obstruent, nasal, heterogenic, homorganic, phoneme order, initial |
| Domain | phonology |
| Type | implication |
| Status | achronic |
| Quality | statistical |
| Basis | sample of 104 languages in Greenberg 1964 |
| Source | Greenberg 1964 [Greenberg 1965: 14, Greenberg 1978e: 253] |
Discussion
Counterexamples
A number of Slavic languages (e.g., Russian, Polish, Czech). They contain initial heterogenic combinations such as mg without having homorganic sequences. (Greenberg 1965: 14, 1978e: 253)
Notes
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