Database
Fur
(Sudan; Nilo-Saharan, Fur)
Summary:
Metathesis of a stem initial consonant and a following vowel occurs with the prefixation of a consonantal person marker. If metathesis results in an /ml/ cluster, these segments are also metathesized.
Summary:
Metathesis of a stem initial consonant and a following vowel occurs with the prefixation of a consonantal person marker. If metathesis results in an /ml/ cluster, these segments are also metathesized.
Examples:
When a consonantal person marker (/j-/ ‘2nd sg.’, /k-/ ‘1st pl.’, /b-/ ‘2nd pl.’, etc.) is prefixed to a stem-initial consonant, the stem consonant metathesizes with the following vowel, as shown in (a). (For some stems, the initial consonant deletes. See related processes .)
a. CV metathesis
If metathesis with the following vowel results in an /ml/ cluster, those segments are metathesized, as illustrated in (b). The consonant sequence /lm/ may optionally be assimilated to become [mm].
b. CV and CC metathesis
bul > *C-uml > C-ulm ~ C-umm > ‘find’
bel > *C-aml > C-alm ~ C-amm > ‘speak’
When a consonantal person marker (/j-/ ‘2nd sg.’, /k-/ ‘1st pl.’, /b-/ ‘2nd pl.’, etc.) is prefixed to a stem-initial consonant, the stem consonant metathesizes with the following vowel, as shown in (a). (For some stems, the initial consonant deletes. See related processes .)
a. CV metathesis
| verb root: | with C prefix: | |
|---|---|---|
| ba | C-ab | ‘drink’ |
| leiN | C-aliN | ‘wake up’ |
If metathesis with the following vowel results in an /ml/ cluster, those segments are metathesized, as illustrated in (b). The consonant sequence /lm/ may optionally be assimilated to become [mm].
b. CV and CC metathesis
bul > *C-uml > C-ulm ~ C-umm > ‘find’
bel > *C-aml > C-alm ~ C-amm > ‘speak’
Conditions:
No information currently available.
No information currently available.
Motivation:
Phonotactic Restriction (Jakobi 1990): Metathesis occurs to avoid a non-occurring consonant sequence in initial position and the inadmissable combination of consonants such as /ml/ in medial position.
Perceptual Optimization (Hume 2000): By switching the order of a stem-initial consonant and following vowel, both consonants end up adjacent to a vowel. The initial consonant, which is a person marker, is more salient in this context than preconsonantally.
Phonotactic Restriction (Jakobi 1990): Metathesis occurs to avoid a non-occurring consonant sequence in initial position and the inadmissable combination of consonants such as /ml/ in medial position.
Perceptual Optimization (Hume 2000): By switching the order of a stem-initial consonant and following vowel, both consonants end up adjacent to a vowel. The initial consonant, which is a person marker, is more salient in this context than preconsonantally.
Related Information:
a. /m/ surfaces as [b] in initial position, due to a process which neutralizes and strengthens the segment.
b. When a verb stem begins with /j/ or /k/, metathesis fails to apply after prefixation of a consonantal person marker. Instead, the stem-initial consonant deletes.
a. /m/ surfaces as [b] in initial position, due to a process which neutralizes and strengthens the segment.
b. When a verb stem begins with /j/ or /k/, metathesis fails to apply after prefixation of a consonantal person marker. Instead, the stem-initial consonant deletes.
| verb root | with C prefix | |
|---|---|---|
| ja | C-a | ‘put’ |
| kar | C-ar | ‘enter’ |
Symbols:
N = velar nasal
Last Updated: 6/13/2007
N = velar nasal
Last Updated: 6/13/2007
References:
- Hume, Elizabeth. 2000. The Role of Speech Perception in Phonology: The Case of Metathesis. Talk given at the Dept. of Linguistics, University of Chicago, 4/19/00.
- Mielke, Jeff & Elizabeth Hume. 2001. Considerations of Word Recognition for Metathesis. In E.Hume, N. Smith & J. van de Weijer, Surface Syllable Structure and Segment Sequencing. Leiden: HIL. 2001.
- Jakobi, Angelika. 1990. A Fur grammar. Helmut Buske Verlag. Hamburg.
