This is an abridged version of a paper originally published over forty years ago (Newman 1972). It is being reprinted here because of its significance in the history of phonological theory and its contribution to African linguistics. At a time when the role of the syllable in linguistics was being… read more
SUMMARY This paper illustrates the importance of syllable organization in phonological development and the validity of drift as a factor in diachronic change. At an earlier period, word medial CVC syllables, with the second C belonging to the coda, were quite common in Hausa. As a result of… read more