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- Title
On the Trigger of Palatalization in the Sotho languages.
- Authors
Kotzé, Albert E.; Zerbian, Sabine
- Abstract
Palatalization of labial sequences is a well-known phenomenon in the Southern Bantu languages. This paper re-investigates the trigger for palatalization in passive and diminutive formation as well as in environments of juxtaposed vowels. It argues for palatalization being uniformly triggered by a palatal glide. The palatal glide is not necessarily present underlyingly, but may arise through the application of two further phonological processes, namely glide formation and labial dissimilation. Thus, the paper argues against / -iw-/ as the underlying passive morpheme as well as against any role by an original *y in the diminutive suffix. Both glide formation and labial dissimilation feed palatalization, so they need to be discussed in conjunction with palatalization in Southern Bantu. New data from the Lobedu dialect of Northern Sotho lend support to the otherwise non-transparent process of labial dissimilation in Southern Bantu.
- Subjects
PHONETICS; PALATALIZATION; DISSIMILATION (Phonetics); SONORANTS (Phonetics); PHONOLOGY; VOWELS; SOTHO language
- Publication
Journal of African Languages & Linguistics, 2008, Vol 29, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
0167-6164
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1515/JALL.2008.001