Universal 788:

Original: If in a given language there is only one Primary Nasal Consonant, it is /n/, that is, its most characteristic allophone is apical.
Standardized: IF there is a Primary Nasal Consonant other than apical /n/, THEN there is also a Primary Nasal Consonant /n/.
Keywords: nasal, consonant, apical, allophone
Domain: phonology
Type: implication
Status: achronic
Quality: statistical
Basis: languages mentioned in Ferguson 1963; 317 language sample from Nartey 1979
Source: Ferguson 1963: 56 (II), cited in Uspensky 1965: 191, Nartey 1979: 30

Counterexamples: Toaripi (Eleman, Trans-New Guinea), Mixtec (Oto-Manguean) (Nartey 1979: 30); dialects of Halkomelem Salish (Salish) such as Chilliwack (Thompson and Thompson 1972: 451; cited in Nartey 1979: 30);Cabécar (Talamanca, Chibchan) (Yasugi 1995: 70);possible exceptions: Yoruba (Defoid, Niger-Congo) (Ladefoged 1964; cited in Nartey 1979: 30),Winnebago (Siouan) (Hockett 1955, cited in Nartey 1979: 30)

One Comment

FP

1. A Primary Nasal Consonant is a phoneme of which the most characteristic allophone is a voiced nasal stop, that is, a sound produced by a complete oral stoppage (e.g., apical, labial), velic opening, and vibration of the vocal cords. (Ferguson 1963: 56)2. Cf. #1839.

1. May 2020

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