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Article published In:
Language and Linguistics
Vol. 21:2 (2020) ► pp.285–330

Synchronic and diachronic phonology of Lavïa

A Wa language of Yunnan and Myanmar

| Academia Sinica

Lavïa, spoken in a belt across both sides of the Yunnan-Myanmar border, is an under-researched Wa language falling under the Waic subgroup of Palaungic in the Austroasiatic language family. This study investigates the sound system of Lavïa and traces its development from an ancestral Proto-Wa-Lawa phonological system. Modern Lavïa phonology is characterized by well-preserved sesquisyllablic structure, rich inventories of consonant and vocalic clusters, and lack of phonemic tone or phonation. Diachronically, Lavïa shows widely attested Waic sound changes as well as certain distinctive innovations which, among other things, yielded voiceless nasals and caused huge upheavals in its vocalic system. These diagnostic innovations help define Lavïa’s unique position within the Wa language cluster.

Keywords: Austroasiatic, Palaungic, Wa cluster, synchronic, diachronic phonology
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Synchronic phonology
    • 2.1Word structure
    • 2.2The minor syllable
    • 2.3The major syllable
      • 2.3.1Onsets
        • 2.3.1.1Simple onsets
        • 2.3.1.2Cluster onsets
      • 2.3.2Rhymes
        • 2.3.2.1Nuclear vowels
          • 2.3.2.1.1Simplex vowels
          • 2.3.2.1.2Vowel clusters
        • 2.3.2.2Codas
  • 3.Phonological history
    • 3.1Sound changes affecting onsets
      • 3.1.1Simplex onsets
      • 3.1.2Complex onsets
        • 3.1.2.1Preglottalized sonorants
        • 3.1.2.2Preaspirated sonorants
        • 3.1.2.3Post-glottalized liquids
        • 3.1.2.4Stop or nasal plus liquid clusters
        • 3.1.2.5Other consonant cluster types
    • 3.2Sound changes affecting nuclei
      • 3.2.1PWL vowels
        • 3.2.1.1PWL *a
        • 3.2.1.2PWL *i
        • 3.2.1.3PWL *ɨ
        • 3.2.1.4PWL *u
        • 3.2.1.5PWL *o
        • 3.2.1.6PWL *ɔ
        • 3.2.1.7PWL *ɒ
        • 3.2.1.8PWL *e
        • 3.2.1.9PWL *ɛ
      • 3.2.2Summary and generalizations
    • 3.3Sound changes affecting codas
  • 4.Concluding remarks
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at [email protected].

Published online: 2 April 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/lali.00062.sun
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