Re: NATLANG: Phonotactics

On Mon, Nov 24, 2008 at 11:42 AM, Eldin Raigmore
<eldin_raigmore@...> wrote:
> Bunch of questions:
of which I can only answer a couple,

> (2) Around what fraction of natlangs have syllable-onsets and around what
> fraction don't?
I seem to have read that it's an apparent universal for all
languages to have CV syllables, whatever other syllable
types they might or might not have.   If I'm remembering
right, and my source hasn't overlooked an obscure
counterexample, 100%.


> ObConLang; Whose and which conlangs have what syllable-structures?
>
> AFMCL: I have (C)(C)V(V)(C)(C)
gzb has C(S)V(S)(S|N)

S = approximant
N = nasal

säb zjeda has F(C)V(C)

where C = any nonfricative consonant and F=fricative
(I know this is unnatural, it's part of an engelangy self-segregation
scheme.)


> (f) Is it true that, in almost every language that has both onsets and codas,
> almost every consonant both can be an onset and can be a coda?
I don't think so, though I can't give numbers.  It's easy to think of
languages where the set of coda consonants is highly restricted,
e.g. Japanese, or somewhat restricted, e.g. German.   Forbidden
onset consonants which occur as codas seem to be less prevalent;
I can think of only a couple of examples,  English /N/ and Esperanto /w/.

--
Jim Henry
http://www.pobox.com/~jimhenry/conlang/fluency-survey.html
Conlang fluency survey -- there's still time to participate before
I analyze the results and write the article