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Universal 1801:

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 1801:

Original
Nasals tend to endure word-finally after obstruents have been lost.
Standardized
In word-final nasal + obstruent clusters,
IF the nasal is deleted, THEN the obstruent should have already been deleted as well.
Keywords
obstruent, nasal, deletion
Domain
phonology
Type
implication
Status
diachronic
Quality
statistical
Basis
sample of 144 languages in Bell 1971; Middle Chinese, Modern Chinese dialects, English, Swedish in Chen & Wang 1975, 58-language sample in Coberly 1984
Source
Gauthiot 1913, Bell 1971, Chen & Wang 1975: 267, referred to by Coberly 1984: 102
Counterexamples

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP

    1. This statement supports the generalization #1805.2. See also the hierarchy of consonantal weakening, #1766.

    1. May 2020

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