Phonotactics: Difference between revisions

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# '''(C)V({{tp|n}}) syllable structure''': "Each syllable consists of a consonant plus a vowel, plus an optional {{tp|n}}."

# '''Null onset is word-initial only''': "The first syllable of a word does not need to begin with a consonant."

# '''Null onset is word-initial only''': "The first syllable of a word does not need to begin with a consonant." {{Indent|As a corollary, every syllable after the first does need to begin with a consonant, thus is CV({{tp|n}}). There are no adjacent vowels or {{wp|diphthong}}s. The sequence {{tp|ana}} is syllabified as {{tp|a‧na}} (2 morae), not {{tp|an‧a}} (3 morae).}}

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# '''No {{tp|*ti}}''': "The syllables {{tp|[*]ti}} and {{tp|[*]tin}} become {{tp|si}} and {{tp|sin}}." {{Indent|This rule concerns [[#Palatalization|palatalization]].}}

#: As a corollary, every syllable after the first does need to begin with a consonant, thus is CV({{tp|n}}). There are no adjacent vowels or {{wp|diphthong}}s. The sequence {{tp|ana}} is syllabified as {{tp|a‧na}} (2 morae), not {{tp|an‧a}} (3 morae).

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# '''No {{tp|*ti}}''': "The syllables {{tp|[*]ti}} and {{tp|[*]tin}} become {{tp|si}} and {{tp|sin}}."

#: This rule concerns [[#Palatalization|palatalization]].

# '''No {{tp|*wo}} or {{tp|*wu}}''': "The consonant {{tp|w}} cannot appear before {{tp|o}} or {{tp|u}}."

# '''No {{tp|*ji}}''': "The consonant {{tp|j}} cannot appear before {{tp|i}}."

# '''No {{tp|*ji}}''': "The consonant {{tp|j}} cannot appear before {{tp|i}}." {{Indent|These two rules cover the same thing. {{tp|*wo}}, {{tp|*wu}}, and {{tp|*ji}} are disallowed because the semivowel in the onset, {{tp|w}} or {{tp|j}}, can be hard to distinguish from the vowel. The syllables would sound too close to {{tp|o}}, {{tp|u}}, and {{tp|i}}, respectively.}}

#: These two rules cover the same thing. {{tp|*wo}}, {{tp|*wu}}, and {{tp|*ji}} are disallowed because the semivowel in the onset, {{tp|w}} or {{tp|j}}, can be hard to distinguish from the vowel. The syllables would sound too close to {{tp|o}}, {{tp|u}}, and {{tp|i}}, respectively.

At least one other rule is often noted:

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* '''No adjacent nasals.''' {{Indent|In sequences like {{tp|*anna}} and {{tp|*anma}}, the first syllable's coda {{tp|-n}} would {{wp|Assimilation (phonology)|assimilate}} to the second syllable's onset nasal: respectively {{tp|ana}} and {{tp|ama}}.<ref group="lower-alpha">Assimilation of coda {{tp|-n}} is also responsible for words like {{tp|anpa}} sometimes being pronounced like {{IPA|[ampa]}}, and words like {{tp|enko}} (an obscure {{tp|nimisin}}) being pronounced like {{IPA|[eŋko]}}. As a result, coda {{tp|-n}} is sometimes defined as {{IPA|[m ~ n ~ ŋ]}}, unlike onset {{tp|n-}} which is strictly {{IPA|[n]}}.</ref>}}

* '''No adjacent nasals.'''

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*: In sequences like {{tp|*anna}} and {{tp|*anma}}, the first syllable's coda {{tp|-n}} would {{wp|Assimilation (phonology)|assimilate}} to the second syllable's onset nasal: respectively {{tp|ana}} and {{tp|ama}}.<ref group="lower-alpha">Assimilation of coda {{tp|-n}} is also responsible for words like {{tp|anpa}} sometimes being pronounced like {{IPA|[ampa]}}, and words like {{tp|enko}} (an obscure {{tp|nimisin}}) being pronounced like {{IPA|[eŋko]}}. As a result, coda {{tp|-n}} is sometimes defined as {{IPA|[m ~ n ~ ŋ]}}, unlike onset {{tp|n-}} which is strictly {{IPA|[n]}}.</ref>

==Palatalization==