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Motivation: |
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a. n/r metathesis
Acoustic and Auditory Similarity(Hume 1997): The observation
that /n/ and /r/ undergo metathesis can be attributed to the acoustic and
auditory similarity between the two consonants. That poor syntagmatic contrast
is at issue is supported by the observation that the insertion of an obstruent
stop between the two sonorants, e.g. pondré, etc., also emerged as
a strategy to resolve the otherwise ill-formed sequence. The two alternatives
co-existed in all forms of the future and conditional. The variant with the
intrusive consonant has survived in Modern Spanish while the forms with metathesis
have not (Martínez-Gil, p.c., Wanner 1989). Similarity between /n,
r/ relates to the fact that both are sonorants and thus have formant structure,
both have vowel transitions for coronal (apicoalveolar) place of articulation,
and both are noncontinuants ([r] was realized as an apicoalveolar tap).
Perceptual Enhancement (Hume 1997, 1998): In terms of a segment’s
inherent properties, rhotics have traditionally been viewed as more salient,
or sonorous, than nasals. This may be attributed to clear formant structure
throughout the duration of the liquid, which provides strong cues to both
place and manner of articulation. Nasals, on the other hand, are characterized
by formants as well as antiformants, the latter having the affect, among
other things, of lowering the amplitude of all higher formants (Fant 1960,
Johnson 1996). A nasal’s internal cues provide information concerning manner
of articulation and more weakly, place of articulation. These facts suggest
that the nasal has less robust internal cues than the liquid. Positioning
the nasal in prevocalic position can therefore be viewed as a means of enhancing
the salience of the consonant, further strengthened by the presence of final
stress.
b. metathesis of an alveolar stop and a lateral/alveolar nasal
Perceptual Enhancement (Hume 1997, 1998):
Prevocalic position is a particularly favorable position for the
realization of stop consonants, given the presence of both a vowel transition
and release burst in this context. In preconsonantal position, on the other
hand, no audible release of the stop is present. Thus, shifting the alveolar
stop with vulnerable cues to prevocalic position strengthens the syntagmatic
contrast between the stop and contiguous lateral/nasal. In the case of nasals,
nasal murmur and weak formant structure provides strong cues to both place
and manner of articulation. Also, anticipatory coarticulation in the form
of vowel nasalization on a preceding vowel provides strong cues to the nasal
manner. In case of a lateral, weak formant structure provides cues to both
place and manner of articulation.
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References: |
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Anttila, Raimo. 1972. An Introduction To Historical and Comparative
Linguistics.The Macmillan Company: New York.
Hume, Elizabeth. 1997. Towards an Explanation of Consonant/Consonant
Metathesis. Draft, v. 1.
Hume, Elizabeth. 1998. The Role of Perceptibility in Consonant/Consonant
Metathesis. In Blake, Susan, Eun-Sook Kim, and Kimary Shahin (eds.), WCCFL
XVII Proceedings. Stanford: CSLI. 293-307.
Wanner, Dieter. 1989. On Metathesis in Diachrony. In Wiltshire,
Caroline, R. Eraczyk, B. Music (eds.), CLS 25: Papers from the 25th Annual
Regional Meeting of the Chicago Linguistic Society. Chicago: CLS.
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