“Diacronia” bibliometric database (BDD)
Title:

Feature metathesis and the change of PIE *du̯ to Classical Armenian -rk-

Author:
Publication: Diachronica, 30 (4), p. 469-491
p-ISSN:0176-4225
e-ISSN:1569-9714
Publisher:John Benjamins Publishing Company
Place:Amsterdam
Year:
Abstract:This paper reexamines the correspondence of Classical Armenian -rk- with Proto-Indo-European *du̯ and attempts to explain the change in a phonologically plausible way without recourse to illicit clusters or ad hoc rules not otherwise operational in the language. Instead, the change of *du̯ to -rk- is analyzed in Optimality framework as an instantiation of the Armenian sonority-based metathesis. Instead of the expected segment metathesis, however, I argue that this cluster underwent metathesis only of the feature [±continuant]. The need for feature metathesis rather than segment metathesis for this sequence was motivated by a TETU effect (The Emergence of The Unmarked) due to the markedness of the segment [w] in Classical Armenian. The markedness of [w] in Classical Armenian is supported by the later glide fortition seen in forms such as gini “wine”, from PIE *u̯oinii̯o-.
Key words:syllable contact law; feature metathesis; Optimality Theory; diachronic phonology; syllable structure; Classical Armenian; TETU
Language: English
DOI:

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