Development of Syllabic Nasals [electronic resource] : The Case of the Bantu Noun Class Prefixes "Mu-, "Mi-,""Ma-." Working Papers on Language Universals, No. 2 / Alan Bell.
The reflexes of the proto-Bantu noun class prefixes of the form "mu-,""mi-," and "ma-" are compared in 84 Bantu languages. The hypotheses that syllabic nasals arise preferably from sequences of m + rounded high vowel, rather than m + unrounded high vowel, are tested aga...
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| Format: | Electronic eBook |
| Language: | English |
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1970.
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| Summary: | The reflexes of the proto-Bantu noun class prefixes of the form "mu-,""mi-," and "ma-" are compared in 84 Bantu languages. The hypotheses that syllabic nasals arise preferably from sequences of m + rounded high vowel, rather than m + unrounded high vowel, are tested against the data. The approach is an example of intragenetic comparison discussed by Greenberg (1969). The results confirm the hypotheses. Some details on the stages of development of syllabic nasals are discussed, and a formal representation of the intermediate states and processes is sketched. (Author) |
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| Item Description: | ERIC Document Number: ED107110. Availability: Anthropological Linguistics, Anthropology Department, Rawles Hall 108, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47401 ($0.55). |
| Physical Description: | 21 p. |