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Part of
Historical Linguistics 2019: Selected papers from the 24th International Conference on Historical Linguistics, Canberra, 1–5 July 2019
Edited by Bethwyn Evans, Maria Kristina Gallego and Luisa Miceli
[Current Issues in Linguistic Theory 367] 2024
► pp. 110–146

Chapter 5
Re-examining initial geminates

Typology, evolutionary phonology, and phonetics

We present a typology of the diachronic pathways leading to the emergence of Initial Geminates (IGs). We show that synchronic phonological properties of IGs, especially their moraic status, may be tied to the diachronic trajectory that leads to their emergence. This is expected if we follow an evolutionary approach to phonology, Evolutionary Phonology (EP). We further discuss potential alternatives and limitations to this scenario and introduce a series of testable predictions for future instrumental work on the topic. We complete our discussion with two cases studies of Pattani Malay and Salentino, the latter based on an original acoustic pilot study. We argue that these two languages show that lexical competition alone is not enough to predict the IGs’ resistance to merger contra previous accounts proposed in the framework of EP. We suggest that lexical competition needs to be better quantified and that other factors need to be taken into account if we are to understand the multifaceted synchronic realisation and evolution of IGs.
Keywords: initial geminates, evolutionary phonology, typology, moraic onsets, diachrony, sound change, phonology, phonetics, Salentino, Pattani Malay
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Pathways leading to the emergence of IGs
  • 3.Diachrony and Moraic Status of IGs
    • 3.1Non-moraic IGs
      • 3.1.1Reinterpretation of voicing contrast: Thurgovian Swiss German
      • 3.1.2Synchronic morphophonological processes: Arabic varieties
      • 3.1.3Evidence for non-moraic status of IGs
    • 3.2Moraic IGs
      • 3.2.1Ryukyuan languages
      • 3.2.2Luganda
      • 3.2.3Trukese
      • 3.2.4Piro
      • 3.2.5Evidence for the moraic status of IGs
    • 3.3Two (alleged) cases of synchronically moraic IGs
    • 3.4Non-moraic IGs from moraic precursors?
    • 3.5Why are moraic IGs moraic?
  • 4.The phonetic (in)stability of IGs
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Author queries
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
  • Appendix
This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.
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