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Eliminating the feature [lateral]1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2008

Andrew Spencer
Andrew Spencer
Affiliation:
Speech Therapy Department, Central School of Speech and Drama, London and Engineering and Science Division, Polytechnic of Central London
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Abstract

The feature [lateral] has a very limited morphophonemic or classificatory role which makes its presence in the universal phonetic feature inventory questionable. A mode of elimination is suggested which involves (i) treating all laterals as [+ distributed]; (ii) limiting [distributed] as a distinctive feature to continuants; (iii) redefining [anterior] in terms of [labial], [apical] and [dental]; (iv) analysing approximant rhotics as glides (Kahn, 1976); (v) adopting Halle and Stevens' re-analysis of [coronal]. This also provides a natural characterization of retroflex sounds and of sibilants. A conceptual problem in child phonology is discussed in the light of the above proposals.

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Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Linguistics , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , March 1984, pp. 23 - 43
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

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References

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