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Re: sound change question

From:Jean-François Colson <bn130627@...>
Date:Tuesday, July 22, 2003, 9:37
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nikhil Sinha" <nsinha_in@...>
To: <CONLANG@...>
Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2003 11:19 AM
Subject: Re: Sound Change Question


> How about a small omega with or without an acute accent over it?
There's also the cyrillic letter sha (ш) or the turned m (ɯ).
> > Nikhil > ----------------------------------------- > Nikhil Sinha > www.geocities.com/nsinha_2003 > >"Sylvia Sotomayor" <kelen@...> likis: > > > > On Monday 21 July 2003 05:51 am, Christopher Wright wrote: > > > On Sun, 20 Jul 2003 22:33:00 -0700, Sylvia Sotomayor > > <kelen@...> > > > wrote: > > > > So, Kélen has five stops: > > > > p (labial) t (dental) ts* (alveolar) c (palatal) k > > (velar) > > > > (*ts is often just [s] but is still counted as a stop.) > > > > I've been contemplating some sound change with the goal of getting > > rid > > > > of [p]. Which would be more reasonable?: > > > > > > > > p t ts c k becoming > > > > k t ts c q or becoming > > > > kw t ts c k > > > > > > On Sunday 20 July 2003 10:23 pm, Roger Mills wrote: > > > > Thomas Wier wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I think probably the first set, where *p becomes /k/. Arapaho > > > > > underwent a similar process on its way from Proto-Algonkian. > > > > > It's reasonable to think that a pull-chain effect might have > > > > > started with *k becoming [q], leaving an opening for *p to fill. > > > > > It's an unusual change, but I know of no natural language that > > > > > would take *p and turn it into [kw] -- quite the opposite change > > > > > would be expected. > > > > Agreed. Evidently you want to keep it as a stop; my first thought > > was > > > > for > > > > it to fricative [P] or [f], then/or > h, then/or 0. All widely > > attested. > > > > > > Sylvia Sotomayor again: > > > >That is possible, though I'm getting rid of [m], too. [w] will stay, > > > >however. I'm thinking of turning [l] or maybe [r] into something else > > > >as well. Any ideas? > > > > > > For getting rid of /p/, I'd probably collapse /p/ and /k/ rather than > > > turning /k/ to /q/, though I'm no linguist yet, so I don't know how > > > plausible that is. If it isn't, then I'd use those two sound changes > > and > > > collapse /q/ with /k/. > > > > > > It would appear that the Kéleñi have long mouths with which to better > > > distinguish between these stops, no? > > > > > > As for /m/, you could possibly merge it with /w/. I have no idea > > whether > > > that is reasonable, though I hope that this list will come down with > > the > > > giant Stick of Corrections if it is not. I have heard it said that > > > nasalization flows somewhat, and if the Kéleñi only stop closing their > > > mouths all the way, the sound should be /w~/. > > > > > > Devoice /l/, tap /r/. I like those sounds, even if I can't pronounce > > them > > > well. > > > > > > ~Wright > > > > > > > I *like* Nasalized W! Now, how do I represent it orthographically???? > > Hmmm. > > > > -- > > Sylvia Sotomayor > > sylvia1@ix.netcom.com > > kelen@ix.netcom.com > > > > Kélen language info can be found at: > > http://home.netcom.com/~sylvia1/Kelen/kelen.html > > > > This post may contain the following: > > á (a-acute) é (e-acute) í (i-acute) > > ó (o-acute) ú (u-acute) ñ (n-tilde) >