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Article published In:
Studies in Language
Vol. 44:2 (2020) ► pp.327–362

A comparison of vowel harmony in Xinkan, Jicaquean, and Lencan

ORCID logo | Brigham Young University
| Brigham Young University

The Xinkan, Jicaquean, and Lencan language families are isolates. However, they show similarities in their vowel co-occurrence restrictions within morphemes. This paper compares and contrasts the harmonic patterns in each of these language families and concludes that similarities are likely due to contact between their speakers. This suggests that Xinkan, Jicaquean and Lencan speakers existed in a sort of micro-language area, a small-scale scenario of contact that shows unique indications of contact near or within the more dispersed scenarios of contact and borrowing acknowledged throughout Mesoamerica.

Keywords: Xinkan, Jicaquean, Tol, Lencan, vowel harmony
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Overview of the Xinkan, Jicaquean, and Lencan languages
    • 2.1Xinkan
    • 2.2Jicaquean
    • 2.3Lencan
  • 3.Vowel harmony
    • 3.1Xinkan
    • 3.2Jicaquean
    • 3.3Lencan
  • 4.Summary of vowel-harmony patterns in Xinkan, Jicaquean and Lencan
  • 5.Discussion
    • 5.1Genetic transmission
    • 5.2Accident
    • 5.3Contact and borrowing
  • Acknowledgments
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 10 June 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/sl.19032.rog
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