Preference Laws for Syllable Structure. And the Explanation of Sound Change with Special Reference to German, Germanic, Italian, and Latin: With Special ... to German, Germanic, Italian and Latin

This book deals with syllable structure, in particular with changes in syllable structure.It presents preference laws fpr syllable structure. These laws specify the preferred syllabic patterns of natural languages as well as determine the direction of syllable structure change. Introduction.................................................................... 1 The Concept of Preference Laws........................... 1 Basic Concepts of Syllabic Phonology.................. 5 The Preference Laws...................................................11 The Head Law........................................................13 The Coda Law..........................................................21 The Nucleus Law.....................................................27 The Weight Law.....................................................30 The Law of Initials...................................................32 The Law of Finals...................................................33 The Strength Assimilation Law...............................35 The Contact Law...................................................40 A Catalog for Syllable Contact Changes................50 Complex Applications...................................................37 Concluding Remarks.....................................................63 Notes............................................................................69 Abbreviations................................................................77 Special Symbols............................................................79 References.....................................................................81 Index............................................................................85 Theo Vennemann. Includes Index. Bibliography: P. 81-84.