Òma Lóngh historical phonology

RA Blust - Oceanic Linguistics, 2007 - muse.jhu.edu
RA Blust
Oceanic Linguistics, 2007muse.jhu.edu
The phonology of Òma Lóngh Kenyah as described by Soriente (2006) shows striking
typological differences from its nearest relatives. Contrary to a pattern of avoidance that is
almost universal in Austronesian languages, it has developed final palatals, including a
voiceless unreleased palatal stop (written-j), and a palatal nasal (written-ny). In violation of
universal tendencies in phonological systems, it has also innovated a voiceless velar nasal
(but no other voiceless nasals) in final position. Out of a Proto-Kenyah six-vowel system in …
Abstract
The phonology of Òma Lóngh Kenyah as described by Soriente (2006) shows striking typological differences from its nearest relatives. Contrary to a pattern of avoidance that is almost universal in Austronesian languages, it has developed final palatals, including a voiceless unreleased palatal stop (written-j), and a palatal nasal (written-ny). In violation of universal tendencies in phonological systems, it has also innovated a voiceless velar nasal (but no other voiceless nasals) in final position. Out of a Proto-Kenyah six-vowel system in which tense mid vowels occurred only word-finally, it has developed three new vowels and an unusual system of double vowel harmony that requires both High-Mid avoidance and Tense-Lax agreement. Even more surprisingly, a typologically bizarre connection between the tenseness/laxness of the penultimate vowel and the shape of the final syllable is present in one subclass of bases, but emerges clearly only through a historical analysis. Together, these innovations add to an already impressive picture of north-central Borneo as a" hot spot" for rapid phonological change, including changes that do not appear to be phonetically motivated.
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