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What
is metathesis?
Metathesis is
the phenomenon whereby two sounds that appear in a particular order in
one form of a word occur in the reverse order in a related form of the
word. For example, in the Austronesian language Leti, the linear
ordering of the final consonant and vowel of a word can differ depending
on a number of factors. One factor is whether the following word begins
with a single consonant or a consonant cluster (or geminate consonant).
In the first case, the order of the segments is vowel, consonant, as in
ukar lavan 'finger + big = thumb, big toe'. In the second case, you get
the order consonant, vowel: ukra ppalu 'finger + bachelor = index
finger'. While metathesis is not as common as other processes affecting
sounds in language, such as assimilation or deletion, it does, nonetheless,
occur as a regular phonological process in synchronic systems in a wide
range of languages.
What
is this project about?
The goal of this
research project is two-fold. The first is to provide a more solid empirical
basis for the study of metathesis. To achieve this, we are developing a
database of reported cases of metathesis. Portions of this database are
already available on this website, particularly cases involving consonant/consonant
metathesis. (Note that not all reportedcases of metathesis are actualcases
of metathesis, as noted in some of the language listings.) The second aim
of this project is to come to a clearer understanding of the nature of
metathesis and, with this knowledge, develop a constrained and predictive
theory of metathesis. See across for a link to research and publications
on metathesis by OSU researchers.
This project
is funded by the
National
Science Foundation
Grant #SBR-9809732
PI: Elizabeth
Hume
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Metathesis
Database
Resources
for metathesis
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