Re: Consonant Clusters at the Beginning of Words (I)
Rob Zook 
Wed, 05 Nov 1997 23:25:17 -0600

At 08:29 PM 11/5/97 -0600, Saul wrote:
>Just to get a potential rule set going, I'd like to propose that any
>word-initial cluster of a stop and a fricative is permitted provided
>the two consonants have the same voice value -- either both voiced or
>both voiceless. This is almost a required rule, because without a
>pause or a vowel between the two consonants, it just naturally
>happens that the voicedness or voicelessness of one voices or
>devoices the other -- especially at the beginnings of words. So the
>permitted stop+fricative clusters would be:
>
>pf		ps		pc		px	ph
>	bv		bz		bj
>tf	     (ts)	     (tc)		tx	th
>	dv		dz	     (dj)
>kf	     (ks)		kc		kx	kh
>	gv		gz		gj
>qf		qs		qc		qx	qh
>
>I know: that eliminates /tv/. If people are attached to it, we can
>work to preserve it...

The only this which confuses me a bit is how that a voiceless consonent
in a cluster could devoice the other especially with /tv/.

>Rob, this would modify your proposition that any stop can be followed
>by any continuant. That does seem true for the approximants (though
>we have no data for /rr/) and /r/. 

So at minimum an initial cluster could consist of any stop + any
fricative, probably any approximate as well. 

Then next, I'd like to know how we propose to explain kn, nm or wv?
stop+nasel stop, or nasel stop+nasel stop.

>Except of course, that /qy/ is highly unlikely. It would nearly always
>come out as some form of /k/.

I need better information on how to say /q/ before I could agree or
disagree.

>Remember that I'm only looking at possibilities regarding clusters at
>the beginnings of words. Different rules will govern clusters at the
>ends of words, as well as what sequences are permitted along syllable
>boundaries. Also, the /'/ phoneme seems to act largely as a
>"discontinuant," negating whatever rules would normally apply to the
>sounds immediately before and after.

At the end of the words, we see many /r/+[stop], whether or not
it be nasel fricative or otherwise, almost the opposite of the 
rule you just proposed for initial clusters. Interesting.

Rob Z.