Re: NATLANG: Phonotactics

/w/ in Esperanto is allowed as an onset.  The name of the letter uxo
is an example, as is uxato (the unit of power), and it shows up in
other proper names.



On 11/24/08, Andreas Johansson <andjo@...> wrote:
> Quoting taliesin the storyteller <taliesin-conlang@...>:
>
>> Perfect timing Eldin! I'm working on reanalyzing the phonology and
>> phonotactics of Taruven right now.
>>
>> * Eldin Raigmore said on 2008-11-24 17:42:35 +0100
>> > (2) Around what fraction of natlangs have syllable-onsets and around
>> > what
>> > fraction don't?
>>
>> Supposedly there is an australian language (Arrernte?) which only allows
>> vowels *to start a word*. Whether the remaining syllables were CV or VC
>> I don't recall. With that possible exception, all languages have
>> CV-syllables.
>
> "The syllable structure of Arrernte is argued to be VC(C), with obligatory
> codas
> and no onsets", as Wikipedia puts it, citing Breen, Gavan; Rob Pensalfini
> (1999). "Arrernte: A Language with No Syllable Onsets". Linguistic Inquiry
> 30
> (1): 1. doi:10.1162/002438999553940. (The doi appears to be broken.)
>
> I suppose the argument is about what syllable medial consonants belong to.
>
> --
> Andreas Johansson
>
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Mark J. Reed <markjreed@...>