BALANGAO
(Luzon, Philippines; Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian)		 For more information about metathesis in this language, click on the following links:
Summary:
Metathesis occurs when a laryngeal would otherwise occur in preconsonantal position. Two laryngeals also metathesize, with the stop occurring in prevocalic position.
Examp #Examples:les
Conditions
Motivation
Additional info
Comments
References
Examples:
(See Comments for key to special characters used.)
Input Output Gloss  Expected output (without metathesis)
?i             +   hIgIp ?ighIp ‘bring in’  *?ihgIp
ma           +   hIdIm  madhIm  ‘night’ *mahdIm
CV(Red)   +   ?opat  ?op?at  ‘four each’ *?o?pat
CV(Red)   +   ?InIm ?In?Im ‘six each’ *?I?nIm
ma           +   ha?al  mah?al ‘choke’ *ma?hal

Nb.  Red = reduplicant
Conditions:
(See Comments for key to special characters used.)
a.  When a laryngeal is not the first member of the heteromorphemic consonant cluster formed by affixation and vowel loss, metathesis fails to apply.

b. When a laryngeal fricative and stop are the first and the second member of the cluster, metathesis fails to apply. 
      ma      +   ha?al                mah?al           ‘put to bed’
Motivation:
Maximizing the perceptual salience of laryngeals and contrast betweenlaryngeals and other sounds (Hume 1997):  When two laryngeals are involved, the contrast between the two laryngeals is enhanced by placing the weaker glottal stop in prevocalic position where the burst is more salient.
Additional information:
No information currently available.
Comments:
Special Symbols:
I  = high central unrounded vowel
E = mid central unrounded vowel
?  = glottal stop
N = velar nasal consonant

Last updated: 10/5/2000
References:
  • Shetler, J.  1976.  Notes on Balangao Grammar.  SIL  Asian-Pacific Series. Huntington Beach, CA.
  • Hume, E. 1997. Towards an explanation of consonant/consonant metathesis. ms. OSU.
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