Universal #951
Legacy number: 951
| Number | 948 |
| Original | In languages with phonemic stress, the number of phonemic contrasts in stressed syllables will be greater than or equal to the number of phonemic contrasts in unstressed syllables. |
| Standardized | When there is phonemic stress, the number of phonemic contrasts in stressed syllables will be greater than or equal to the number of phonemic contrasts in unstressed syllables. |
| Keywords | stress, phoneme, syllable |
| Domain | phonology |
| Type | unconditional |
| Status | achronic |
| Quality | statistical |
| Basis | unspecified |
| Source | Trubetzkoy, as referred to by Ferguson 1963: 54, cited in Décsy 1987: 52; also Saporta 1963: 68, cited in Uspensky 1965: 194, Dressler 1979: 265 |
Discussion
Counterexamples
Certain Tajik dialects and certain varieties of Syrian Arabic, in which stress has a leveling effect on vowels. In these languages, the stressed vowels are not greatly lengthened and are less clear that the unstressed vowels. These languages usually have a greater number of vowel contrasts in unstressed position. (Uspensky 1965: 194 referring to Ferguson 1963: 54)
Notes
Can probably be redone implicationally: IF there is a phonemic contrast in unstressed syllable, THEN stressed syllables will have the same phonemic contrast and possibly more.But are unstressed and stressed syllables really supposed to share the SAME contrasts?Is supposed to illustrate "the general principle of economy whereby the presence of the complex pattern implies the presence of the more simple one".
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IF there is a phonemic contrast in unstressed syllable, THEN stressed syllables will have the same phonemic contrast and possibly more.
But are unstressed and stressed syllables really supposed to share the SAME contrasts?
Is supposed to illustrate "the general principle of economy whereby the presence of the complex pattern implies the presence of the more simple one".