kotu + -ni → kotunu →
kotnu ‘his penis’
roku + -ni → rokunu →
roknu ‘his cigarette’
wetu + -ni → wetunu →
wetnu ‘his shin bone’
rule: __Cu + -ni → n u C__
2.4.2 Reduction of word final vowels
If the above spreading rule is blocked due to the surrounding environment, then the next morphophonemic process to take place is reduction. Reduction occurs when a root or word ending in a
non-high vowel which is not preceded by a consonant cluster is joined by a suffix, enclitic or another word to become a new phonological word or rhythm segment. In these cases the final vowel of the first
root or word is deleted and the suffix, enclitic or following word is added. This gets rid of a syllable and results in the stress continuing to stay on the penultimate syllable. If the word final vowel is preceded by
a consonant cluster CCV then other morphophonemic processes are employed see below in this §.
ʔama + -ni → [
ʔamni] ʔamni
‘his father’ {suffix}
na ʔana + -wa → [naʔanwә]
na ʔanwa
‘heshe ate’ {enclitic}
rwoka + pa →
[ ṛwokpә]
rwokpa ‘they meet to’
{word} rule: _VCV[-High]
→Ø V C__ + C V One process which can take place after reduction is assimilation. This occurs when the final vowel
drops off and thereby causes either w and m or n and l to join across morpheme boundaries. Because Luang does not permit w and m or n and l to cluster see §2.2.2.2 above, the w
assimilates to the bilabial m and becomes p and the n assimilates to l creating the geminate sequence ll.
33
watroma + -wa → |watromwa| → watrompa
‘already met’ nema + -wa
→ |nemwa| → nempa
‘already flew’ wawi + mera
→ |wawmera| → wapmera ‘red pig’
lewu + mamni → |lewmamni| → lepmamni
‘our bed’ plola + -ni
→ |plolni| → plolli ‘its truth’
ela + -ni → |elni| →
elli ‘her sister’ poli + -ni
→ |polni| → polli ‘his pants’
wali + -ni → |walni| →
walli ‘its side beside’ rule: V
→ Ø V C __+ C V w
→p m __ w
→p __ m n
→ l ..l __ The process of reduction becomes more involved when dealing with words having consonant
clusters word medially. When morphemes or words having consonant clusters word medially are joined together two different kinds of processes occur. The first is reduction and insertion which takes place
with nouns. The second is metathesis which occurs on verbs see §2.4.5 below. When a noun having a
33
n will only assimilate to l within grammatical words e.g., with suffix -ni and not across word boundaries e.g., with word la.
This occurs also in the environment where a pronominal prefix n comes together with a verb root beginning with l. In this case there seems to be free variation between n retaining its quality and that of assimilating to l.
n-lokra ~ l-lokra ‘he swears’ n-la?a ~ l-la?a
‘he goes’
consonant cluster word medially is joined to the following morpheme or word the final vowel drops off. This leaves three consonants together and since that is an invalid cluster since the third consonant is not
a glide, see §2.2.2.2 above the low central vowel a is inserted between the first and second consonant. This provides for an allowable syllable pattern, but also creates an extra syllable. In each case the stress
continues to remain on the penultimate syllable of the original root when a monosyllabic suffix is joined to it.
larna + mota → |larnmota| → [laranmotә] ‘green fly’
34
likti + -ni →
|liktni| →
[likatni] ‘his house’
ʔonni + -wa → |ʔonnwa| → [
ʔonanwa] ‘the end’
n̤niaʔerti + -ni → |nniaʔertni| → [nniaʔeratni] ‘its meaning’ rule: _VCCVnoun + CV
→ _VCaVCV
2.4.3 Glottal-influenced vowel harmony
