Contents
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations and conventions
1 Syllables and syllable structure
1.1 Background
1.1.1 The syllable
1.1.2 Crosslinguistic patterns in syllable structure
1.1.2.1 CV as a universal syllable type
1.1.2.2 Asymmetries in onset and coda patterns
1.1.2.3 Consonant clusters
1.1.2.4 Nucleus patterns
1.1.2.5 Syllable structure and morphology
1.1.3 Theoretical models and crosslinguistic patterns of syllable structure
1.2 Highly complex syllable structure: Typological outlier, theoretical problem
1.3 Syllable structure complexity: Accounts and correlations
1.3.1 Speech rhythm typologies
1.3.2 Other holistic typologies
1.3.3 Consonantal and vocalic languages
1.4 The current study
1.4.1 Research questions
1.4.2 Proposed analyses and framework
2 Language sample
2.1 Language sampling
2.1.1 Common sources of bias in language sampling
2.1.2 Other factors which may influence phonological structure and syllable complexity
2.1.2.1 Population
2.1.2.2 Language endangerment
2.1.2.3 Ecological factors
2.1.3 Specific considerations in the current study
2.2 Defining the categories of syllable structure complexity
2.2.1 Long sequences of obstruents: Tautosyllabic clusters or syllabic consonants?
2.2.2 Highly Complex syllable structure: A definition
2.3 Constructing the language sample
2.4 Language sample for current study
2.4.1 Areal features of sample
2.4.2 Genealogical features of sample
2.4.3 Sociolinguistic features of sample
2.5 Data collection
3 Syllable structure patterns in sample
3.1 Introduction
3.1.1 Crosslinguistic studies of syllable structure
3.1.2 Considerations in the current chapter
3.2 Methodology
3.2.1 Patterns considered
3.2.2 Status of inserted vowels
3.2.3 Edges of categories
3.2.4 Coding
3.3 Results for language sample
3.3.1 Maximal onset and coda sizes
3.3.2 Relationship between onset and coda complexity
3.3.3 Syllable structure complexity and obligatoriness of syllable margins
3.3.4 Vocalic nucleus patterns
3.3.5 Syllabic consonants
3.3.6 Morphological patterns
3.4 Properties of highly complex syllable structure
3.4.1 Examples of Highly Complex syllable patterns in sample
3.4.2 Prevalence of Highly Complex syllable patterns within languages
3.4.3 Acoustic and perceptual characteristics
3.5 Discussion
4 Phoneme inventories and syllable structure complexity
4.1 Introduction
4.1.1 Crosslinguistic patterns in consonant inventories
4.1.2 Crosslinguistic patterns in vowel inventories
4.1.3 Segmental inventories and syllable structure complexity
4.1.4 The current study and hypotheses
4.2 Methodology
4.2.1 Patterns considered
4.2.2 Coding
4.3 Results: Vowel inventories
4.3.1 Vowel quality inventory size
4.3.2 Contrastive vowel length
4.3.3 Other vowel contrasts
4.3.4 Diphthongs and vowel sequences
4.3.5 Vocalic nucleus inventories and syllable structure complexity
4.3.6 Summary of vowel patterns in sample
4.4 Results: Consonant inventories
4.4.1 Consonant phoneme inventory size
4.4.2 Elaborations
4.4.3 Phonation features
4.4.4 Place features
4.4.5 Manner features
4.4.6 Summary of consonant patterns in sample
4.5 Discussion
4.5.1 Segmental inventory patterns and syllable structure complexity
4.5.2 Articulations and contrasts characteristic of the Highly Complex category
4.5.2.1 Palato-alveolars
4.5.2.2 Uvulars
4.5.2.3 Ejectives
4.5.2.4 Affricates
4.5.2.5 More post-velar distinctions and pharyngeals
4.5.3 Articulations and consonantal contrasts characteristic of the Simple category
4.5.3.1 Prenasalization
4.5.3.2 Flaps/taps
4.5.4 Segmental patterns, sound change, and syllable structure complexity
5 Suprasegmental patterns
5.1 Introduction
5.1.1 Word stress and tone
5.1.2 Suprasegmentals and syllable structure complexity
5.1.3 The current study and hypotheses
5.2 Methodology
5.2.1 Patterns considered
5.2.2 Coding
5.3 Results: Tone
5.4 Results: Stress
5.4.1 Presence of word stress and syllable structure complexity
5.4.2 Stress assignment
5.4.3 Phonetic processes conditioned by word stress
5.4.3.1 Unstressed vowel reduction
5.4.3.2 Processes affecting consonants in unstressed syllables
5.4.3.3 Processes affecting consonants in stressed syllables
5.4.3.4 Implicational relationships between phonetic processes conditioned by stress
5.4.4 Phonological properties of stressed and unstressed syllables
5.4.5 Phonetic correlates of stress
5.4.6 Summary of word stress patterns
5.5 Discussion
5.5.1 Suprasegmental patterns and Highly Complex syllable structure
5.5.2 Word stress and the development of syllable structure patterns
6 Vowel reduction and syllable structure complexity
6.1 Introduction and hypothesis
6.2 Methodology
6.2.1 Patterns considered
6.2.2 Determining what constitutes a process
6.2.3 Coding
6.3 Results
6.3.1 Languages with vowel reduction
6.3.2 Number of distinct vowel reduction processes present
6.3.3 Affected vowels
6.3.4 Conditioning environments
6.3.5 Outcomes
6.3.6 Holistic analysis of vowel reduction processes
6.3.7 Summary of vowel reduction patterns
6.4 Discussion
6.4.1 Vowel reduction patterns and Highly Complex syllable structure
6.4.2 Implications for development of syllable structure complexity
7 Consonant allophony
7.1 Introduction and hypotheses
7.2 Methodology
7.2.1 Patterns considered
7.2.2 Coding
7.3 Results
7.3.1 Distribution of processes in the language sample
7.3.2 Processes resulting in articulations associated with the Highly Complex category
7.3.3 Other processes resulting in assimilation of consonants to vowels
7.3.4 Other processes resulting in fortition
7.3.5 Processes resulting in articulations associated with the Simple category
7.3.6 Other processes resulting in lenition or sonorization
7.3.7 Summary of results
7.4 Discussion
7.4.1 Consonant allophony and the development of syllable structure complexity
8 Highly complex syllable structure: Characteristics, development, and stability
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Syllable structure complexity and morphology
8.3 Highly complex syllable structure as a linguistic type
8.4 The development of Highly Complex syllable structure
8.4.1 Directionality of syllable structure change
8.4.2 Clues from the crosslinguistic patterns
8.4.3 Comparisons of related pairs of languages in sample
8.4.3.1 Uto-Aztecan: Ute and Tohono Oβodham
8.4.3.2 Arawakan: ApurinΓ£ and Yine
8.4.3.3 Atlantic-Congo: Yoruba and Lunda
8.4.3.4 Indo-European: Darai and Albanian
8.4.3.5 Austronesian: Maori and Lelepa
8.4.3.6 Summary of patterns
8.4.4 The case of Lezgian
8.4.5 Language contact and syllable structure complexity
8.4.6 Development of Highly Complex syllable structure: Conclusions and questions
8.5 Highly complex syllable structure: A stable and motivated pattern
8.5.1 Synchronic stability of Highly Complex syllable structure
8.5.2 Diachronic stability of syllable complexity
8.5.3 Phonetic properties of Highly Complex syllable patterns and long-term stability
8.6 Topics for further research
Appendix A: Language sample
Appendix B: Data
References
Index
Name index
Language index