Re: Optimum number of symbols

Tim May wrote:
(replying to....?)

> >
> > [n] *is* the only syllabic consonant in Japanese, but non-syllabic [n]
> > exists as well.  The syllabic [n] is used in words like Nihon (Japan),
> > Kon'ya (today), etc.  {n'} is the usual romanization in cases where it
> > could be ambiguous, as {konya} could theoretically exist.  There are
> > minimal pairs, but I can't think of any examples (ah, I just noticed
> > that Philip Newton gave the example of kanen vs. kan'en).  In the word
> > _katakana_, syllabic _n_ isn't used (it is in _kanji_, tho - that would
> > be written ka-n-ji in hiragana)
> >
> > For some reason, I often see romanizations like _on'na_, even tho
> > there's no need for the apostrophe there - syllabic _n_ is the only
> > thing that the first _n_ could be.
> >
>Is this true?  Couldn't it be a doubled n, with a little tsu?  Or does
>that not occur for some reason?
Interesting question.  Is that indeed possible? What about -VmmV-(assuming
it can occur)-- or would that be analyzed as ...V-syllabic n-mV...?

Which consonants can be geminated wth tsu? Voiceless only, as I suspect?
What about the palatalized series; can you have e.g. -kky-??

The words _kon'ya, kan'en_ (perhaps even _onna_?) look to me as if they
could be compounds, though perhaps no longer recognized as such????

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