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Part of
Keys to the History of English: Diachronic linguistic change, morpho-syntax and lexicography
Edited by Thijs Porck, Moragh S. Gordon and Luisella Caon
[Current Issues in Linguistic Theory 363] 2024
► pp. 82–102

A modern light on diachronic processes affecting coda /l/ in English

| Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences
This paper examines historical changes affecting coda laterals in British English, in the light of findings from articulatory phonology, with some insights from acoustic and perceptual phonetics as well. Historically, coda laterals induce pre-lateral diphthongisation and are themselves vocalised/lost, usually to a back rounded vowel. Coda laterals involve a radical gesture (retracted tongue root), and diphthongisation is caused by a gestural conflict between the laminal-dorsal gesture of the vowel and the radical gesture of the following lateral, producing an excrescent vowel in the transition. This excrescent vowel sounds like a schwa or /ɔ/ due to a shared post-oral gesture between these vowels and coda laterals. Vocalisation/loss is caused by gestural reduction, whether in terms of time, timing or space.
Keywords: coda laterals, historical phonology, sound change, articulatory phonology, L-vocalisation, diphthongisation, excrescent vowel, gestural conflict, gestural reduction, retracted tongue root
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Laterals: Gestures and formants
  • 3.Historical and PDE changes affecting coda laterals
    • 3.1Diphthong formation
    • 3.2Lengthening of pre-lateral vowels
    • 3.3Vocalisation and loss of coda lateral
    • 3.4Summary
  • 4.Explaining the developments of coda laterals
    • 4.1Diphthong formation
    • 4.2Lengthening of pre-lateral vowels
    • 4.3Vocalisation and loss of coda laterals
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 4 April 2024
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/cilt.363.04ste
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