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Linguistic Nature Of Prenasalization, Mark H. Feinstein

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The linguistic nature of the class of sounds which are traditionally called "prenasalized consonants" (PNCs) has never been adequately explored. The purpose of this work is to provide a descriptively adequate framework in which to characterize PNCs, and to express their behavior most generally. This is done within the theory of generative phonology (essentially the Standard Theory of Chomsky and Halle 1968), incorporating a theory of markedness and syllabification. It is argued that PNCs cannot be described adequately as monosegmental entities in linguistic theory. Rather, PNCs in all languages are claimed to be sequences of homorganic nasal and oral consonant …