Phonotactics is the study of restrictions on sounds within a language.
Adapting Loanwords
Loanwords are adapted to the native phonotactics by deleting or inserting phonemes.
- Deleting: Delete the troublesome phonemes.
(e.g., Greek
/pterodaktyl/→ English/ˌtɛɹəˈdæktl̩/) - Inserting: Insert vowels to break up the troublesome consonant clusters.
(e.g., Polish
/gdansk/→ English/gəˈdænsk/, English Plastic/plæs.tɪk/→ Japanese/pɯ.ɾa.sɯ.tɕi.k:ɯ/)
Gaps
A gap is a massing word in the lexicon.
- Accidental Gaps: Possible forms that do not occur. Phonotactics permits them.
(e.g.,
flempt,krusle,shwardingalini) - Systematic Gaps: Impossible forms that do not occur. Phonotactics does not permit them.
(e.g.,
*tlurble,*mlakthabolrb,*fshult)
English Phonotactics
Possible beginning consonant clusters:
[bɹ]bring,[θɹ]three,[gl]glean,[fl]fly,[mj]music,[kw]quick,[sw]sweet,[stɹ]string Impossible beginning consonant clusters:[pw],[ml],[θl],[stpɹ],[stfɹ]