School of Languages and Linguistics - Research Publications

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End date: 1999 × Type: Conference Paper × Subject: language universals ×

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    Taba and Roma: clusters and geminates in two Austronesian languages
    HAJEK, J. ; Bowden, J. ( 1999)
    Some lesser-known Austronesian languages, such as Taba and Roma, with relatively simple phonological inventories, nevertheless have very complex phonotactic structures. The presence of a wide range of typologically unusual cluster combinations in word-initial position has important implications for generally accepted notions about Austronesian languages and about segment sequencing and the sonority hierarchy.
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    Universals of nasal attrition
    Connell, B. ; HAJEK, J. ( 1991)
    The claim that there is a hierarchy governing the attrition of nasals according to place of articulation is put to test in this paper by examination of cross linguistic data from two language groups which are unrelated genetically and geographically: the Romance dialects of Northern Italy and the Lower Cross group of South-Eastern Nigeria. Results of this new survey provide interesting food for thought: developments in the Northern Italian dialects support, to a large extent, predictions that follow from phonetic considerations. However, the Lower Cross languages at first appear to contradict expectations. This suggests that other factors may need to be taken account of, before a true universal tendency, if one exists, can be established.